OOMMERriAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 751 



prepare them usually by drying. Most of this work is done on Hawaii, the district 

 of Kona beiny- esperially noted for its dried fish. 



The nehu, while one of the smallest of the many species found around the 

 islands, is the one usually dried by the dealers. Large pieces of bagging are spread 

 on the ground, exposed to the full rays of the sun, and the nehu, in round condition, 

 are laid on these. When the drying is completed they are placed in tubs and carried 

 around the islands on carts, and are generally sold to the Chinese and Japanese for 

 about 2.5 cents per pound. 



The piha, a fish about the same size as the nehu, is frequently prepared in the 

 same way on Hawaii. 



The general method of preparing the larger species is as follows; 



The fish are split open from the bacli, except in the case of the opelu, which is 

 opened from the belly, and the entrails removed. The fish are not washed before 

 salting, as it softens them and they are apt to spoil. The lai'ger fishes are scoi-ed 

 along the side. They are then lightly salted and put in a container, where they are 

 allowed to remain oxernight. In the morning they are taken out, the salt shaken 

 off of them, and the}' are put in a pan of fresh water, where the salt is thoroughly 

 washed off, after which they are placed upon rude racks or boards, covered with 

 cocoanut leaves, and allowed to remain until the sun thoroughly dries them. They 

 are put under cover at night. When thus prepared, they will keep for some time. 

 Opelu, amaama, akule, and aku are the species usually preserved in this manner. 



In preparing the ahi (albacore) the fish is cut up in squares of about a pound 

 each, which, except in localities where blow-flies are troublesome, are scored. The 

 pieces are kneaded in salt until almost as round as a baseball and are then put out to dry. 



A considerable quantity of amaama was dried in Kauai during l'.K)l, but it was 

 all condemned when it reached the Honolulu mai-ket, owing to the alleged careless 

 manner in which it had been prepared. It is very probable that with proper cai-e a 

 considerable trade could be built up bj' the fishermen who live in localities from 

 whence fresh fish can not be shipped. 



Lima {(il</:>'). — The natives are great lovers of limu, and the gathering of it for 

 market forms quite a profitable business for numbers of women and children. It is 

 prepared, by rolling it into balls ii or 3 inches in diameter, squeezing the water out, 

 and sprinkling lightly with salt. Many varieties of algte are found around the 

 islands, but onl}^ a few are used for food. Among these are limu lipoa, limu eleele, 

 limu pakaeleawaa, limu mananea, limu lipeepee, limu lipaakai. 



FISH MARKETS AND THE HANDLING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS. 



There are six fish-market houses on the islands, one each at Honolulu (Oahu), 

 Hilo (Hawaii), and Wailuku (Maui), and three at Lahaina (Maui). In addition, 

 peddlers with small carts and on the backs of jackasses retail fish throughout the 

 sections of inhabited country which are not convenient to the markets or to the 

 fisheries. There isgreat room for development in this phase of the business, however, 

 as the inhabitants of some of the more inaccessible villages rarely have an opportunity 

 to purchase fresh fish. 



F. C. B, 1903, Ft. 2—12 



