COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 723 



fish toward the net. ^Vhen the boaters have approached sufficiently near, the men 

 holding the ends of the net advance toward each other, and when they meet, with 

 the help of all the fishermen, the circle is graduall^r reduced as the net is hauled in 

 and section after section removed. The fish which have become enmeshed are taken 

 out of each section as it comes in, and when the inner circle is small enough the fish- 

 ermen remove with dip nets those which are not enmeshed. This method is practiced 

 by either day or night. 



In fishing for akule unusually long nets are frequently emplo3^ed, some used at 

 Hilo being 208 fathoms long, 4 fathoms deep, with mesh of four inches. These are 

 made of No. 1'2 linen twine and are worth about $100 each. Most of the nets, how- 

 ever, are of about one-half the above dimensions and are worth about $50 each. 



On Hawaii a man is posted on a high bank to watch the movements of the 

 school of akule (goggler), which, owing to the color of the fish, looks like a red 

 bank, and is more plainly visible from this elevated position than from the canoes. 

 This lookout is provided with a flag in each hand, with which he directs the move- 

 ments of the fishermen in handling the net. 



Nearly all the seine and gill nets are barked before being used, to prevent rot- 

 ting. For this purpose the bark of the koa tree is used, being pounded up some- 

 what fine and put in a tank of water to remain for two weeks, after which the water 

 is drawn off and the nets slowly run through it. 



In drying the nets a method introduced from China is employed at several 

 places, particularly Hilo. Throughou^t an open field are planted a number of slender 

 poles about 12 feet in height, and at the top of each is nailed a crosspiece of wood 

 about 3 feet in length, which is supported by two short pieces running from the 

 pole to the outer ends of the crosspiece. Large hooks are attached to the ends of 

 the crosspieces. A short piece of rope is slung o\ er each of the hooks, and when 

 the net is read^' for drying it is attached lo one end of this rope, pulled up suffi- 

 ciently -to clear the ground, and held in this position by tying the free end of the 

 rope to the pole close to the ground. This procedure also facilitates the repairing 

 of nets. 



BAG XKTS. 



Bag nets are used on all of the islands, and are the most conunon form of appa- 

 ratus. They are of all sizes and styles, according to the particular species the 

 fishermen are seeking and the condition of the fishing ground. 



Several of the more important fisheries are conducted with bag nets. At Kahului, 

 Maui, there is in use a net 180 fathoms long, with ropes 250 fathoms long on each 

 side. It is made of cotton twine, and the wings have a mesh of 4 inches, the center 

 1 inch. The net is operated from the shore by means of two windlasses. When 

 drawn near the shore a bag 15 feet wide, 17 feet high, and 35 feet long, with meshes 

 1 to li inches, is attached to the center of the net, and the latter unlaced at this point 

 and the ends drawn back to the sides of the bag, this work being done by divers. 

 If there is only a small haul the bag is drawn directly up on the beach. If many 

 fish have been taken, the bag is placed in a canoe, the rope at the bottom of the 

 bag unlaced, and the fish allowed to fall into the boat. 



The bag net in general use is about 20 feet in depth in the bag, 12 feet wide at 

 the mouth, and runs to a point. Wings about 30 feet in length and about 5 feet 



