C. RECOLiHOTAllONS FOR GUAli FlSHH'aES 



1. Commercial and Sport Pishing 



Because of the many difficulties in establishing an offshore fishery for bonito 

 and tuna, and the scarcity of smaller fish along the inshore coast of Guam, it seems pro- 

 bable that the most promising extension of the fisheries v;ould be to increase or encourage 

 production by means of gill nets at night and especially in the 'Jmatac area, mS they are 

 already experienced in the use oi seines and gill nets, it would only be necessary to 

 furnish several seines approximately ^00 yards long and »ith a stretched raesh from 2 "^l L, 

 inches to 3 3A Indies. Since trds vwuld be an experimental project, it should not oe 

 expected tha.t the fishermen themselves vrould be able to purchase these seines, especially 

 as one or more sizes might be found unsuitable for fishing in that area. 



One aspect of fishing which is vrorthy of additional attention is f--he development 

 of sport fishing. The recreational value of fishing is, of course, well understood and 

 is being taken care of in part oy the services themselves. However, thex-e is now, and 

 undoubtedly will continue to be, an increasing demand for fishing guides vdth small party 

 boats to take out from two to four people. The abundance of marlin, sail fish, barracuda, 

 wahoo, and various members of the tuna family, warrants the establishment of a small fleet 

 of sport fishing vessels. Such a project has not only a recreational value, but will in 

 time develop a number of fishing guides vdth sufficient knowledge of offshore fishing to 

 contribute directly to the production of food fish. In general, party boats are hired on 

 weekends and during the major portion of the week these fishermen vraulc be able to produce 

 fish for food, 



2. Fishing Vessels 



It is believed that any system of renting surplus vessels and small craft to 

 native fishennen ^^dll prove unsatisfactory, whether it be for commercial fishing or for 

 sport fishing. It has been found everyv^here throughout the fishing industry that private 

 owiership of fishing vessels tends to promote more efficient operation and to increase 

 production. It is recommended that the administrative section in charge of surplus 

 vessels explore the possibilities of putting some surplus craft into private ownership 

 with qualified individuals . 



3 . Special Fisheries Regulations 



In order to protect the future survival of the many species of fish found close 

 inshore it is recommended that regulations be made for minimum size limits on fish taken 

 in the traps and surround nets along shore. In the absence of information on the rate of 

 growth and maturity of the various species taken at Guam, it is impossible to recomaiend 

 minimum sizes for the separate species. In any case, it is believed that the requirements 

 of conservation would be met by prohibiting the talking of small fish of any species under 

 six inches in length. The difficulties of enforcing such a regulation are fully recognized, 

 but it is thought that they vdll not be found to be greater than is the case in the United 

 States. If it serves no other purpose, it may bring to the attention of the people the 

 necessity for conserving their marine resources. The regulation would not apply to fish 

 taken for live bait, or caught with throw-nets. 



A. Japanese Fishing Hampered by Sharks 



As nearly as could be detennined, the two most abundant species of tunas are the 

 ocean bonito or katsuo ( Katsuwonus (Euthynnus) pelamis ). weighing from 10 to 25 pounds, and 

 the yellow fin tuna ( Neothunnus macropterus ) . vmich vjeighs up to 60 pounds. Schools are 

 almost alvfays of unifonn size and weight. During their occupation of Guam the Japanese did 

 a limited auount of tuna fishing, but were bothered by an abundance of sharks which attacked 

 and chewed off part of thy hooked fish. It was the custom to send a diver down with a knife 

 to kill the B)iarks. It was not possible to detenaine the abundance of sharks, but if they 

 are very common a limited fishery might be established to get the shark livers for vitamin A. 

 Because most of the sharks found here are sand sharks ( Eulamia ) of comparatively small size, 

 being under seven feet in length, it is doubtful if the vitamin A content of the liver oil 

 is high enough to warrant shipment to the United States, but it could be utilized as a 

 supplement to the stock and poultry feeds of the Islands, or offered to the Japanese trade. 

 The fins and hides could be mariceted and the carcass either sold fresh, or put through a 

 reduction plant to make stock feed or fertilizer. 



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