322 EIGHTH PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS 



sonous fishes (exclusive of puffers) were unknown prior to World War 

 II. Fishes of all types were commonly eaten and supplied to the native 

 workers for their main source of protein. Between February 1946 and 

 April 1947 there were 95 cases of fish poisoning amongst the population 

 of 224 people on the island. A clinical account of these outbreaks has 

 been published by Ross.^ Palmer further states that from 1946 to 1950 

 there were "hundreds" of cases of poisoning resulting from the very 

 same species of fishes which they had formerly eaten without ill effect. 

 The problem finally reached the point where feeding their native per- 

 sonnel became critical. Fortunately most of the pelagic species, mullet 

 and some of the lagoon fishes remained edible. Within the last year or 

 two the situation seems to be improving and some of the species have 

 been placed on the edible list again. 



A report received from Dr. Vernon Brock, Director, Division of 

 Fish and Game, Board of Agriculture and Forestry of the Territory of 

 Hawaii,^ indicated that more than 60 tons of red snapper {Lutjanus 

 spp.), ulua (Caranx spp.) and miscellaneous reef fishes were shipped 

 to the Honolulu fish markets during the years 1930 to 1937. During 

 this time not a single outbreak of fish poisoning was known to occur 

 as a result of eating these fishes. Since the year 1944 scores of outbreaks 

 have resulted from eating Line Island fishes. Some of these outbreaks 

 have been reported by Lee and Pang.* 



As a direct result of these epidemic unfavorable publicity has de- 

 veloped regarding Line Island fishes. Species such as red snapper (Lut- 

 janus gibhus, L. vaigiensis, L. hohar), manini {Acanthiirus triostegus), 

 grouper (Epinephelus spp.), seabass {Variola louti), ulua {Caranx 

 spp.) and others, are no longer permitted to be imported from the Line 

 Islands and sold in the Territory of Hawaii. A situation such as this 

 results in both fishermen and consumers refusing to have anything to do 

 with fishes coming from a poisonous fish zone. 



During the period September 1950 to July 1953, field studies were 

 conducted by our organization in the Phoenix, Line, Hawaiian, Maria- 

 nas, Eastern and Western Carolines, Johnston, Okinawa, Japan, Gala- 

 pagos, Cocos, La Plata Islands, the Gulf of California and Panama Bay. 

 Studies thus far indicate that the poisonous fish population of the trop- 

 ical Pacific is much larger than was formerly believed. Toxic species 

 have been found to occur in the Pacific from the Galapagos Islands to 

 the Philippines and Okinawa, and from Midway to the Society Islands. 

 The survey at Canton demonstrated that about 27 percent of the reef 

 fishes were toxic. The survey at Johnston Island indicated that about 

 75 percent of the species tested were poisonous. Once an area has estab- 

 lished a reputation it is very difficult to change public opinion. As 



