474 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



According to Mr. A. F. Judd, in an article on "Rock carvings of 

 Hawaii," published in Thrum's Annual for 1904 — 



Archpeological investigations have brought to light several monuments of which 

 the Hawaiians have always disclaimed the making. The fish pond in the land of 

 Apua, at Kualoa on the island of Oahu, is a notable example, and others might be . 

 mentioned. 



A typical example of fish ponds in embryo is to be observed in the 

 neighborhood of Mana, on the island of Kauai. There are several 

 hundred acres of overflowed land here belonging to the territory, 

 which certain natives have leased for a nominal sum. Ditches have 

 been dug in order that the sea water may enter, and in the ponds so 

 improvised ama-ama are raised. It is probable that in the course of a 

 few 3"ears the banks will be raised higher and made permanent, thus 

 turning- the swamp into a regular interior fish pond. 



The Kanaha fish pond at Wailuku, on the island of Maui, is being 

 much enlarged and improved this year (1904). There were formerly 

 several ponds here, but the others have been filled in. Considerable 

 trouble has been experienced with this fish pond owing to the lack of 

 proper direct connection with salt water, A heavy freshet made an 

 opening toward the sea about four years ago, but it was not deep 

 enough to allow a sufiicient quantity of sea water to enter, and since 

 the rainwater forced the salt water out, the ama-ama were killed in 

 large numbers. In 1903 this was especially noticeable, and in the 

 latter part of the year many of the fish were given away or else sold 

 very cheap, inasmuch as they would have died had they been allowed 

 to remain in the pond, Awa, aholehole, gold-fish, and oopue are also 

 found in this pond. 



If the various schemes for the development of the bank fisheries off 

 the south and east coasts of Molokai are successful there will probably 

 be a considerable increase in the number of fish ponds used commer- 

 ciall}^ in this section. Many ponds on this side of Molokai are not in 

 use at the present time, owing to a lack of convenient markets. The 

 new enterprises contemplate repairing and putting into operation some 

 of these ponds, and using them either to raise ama-ama for the Hono- 

 lulu markets, or as temporary storage places for the line-caught fish 

 until the transporting vessels can carry them awa}^ 



Considerable fishing is carried on in the numerous sugar-plantation 

 reservoirs, notably in those on Maui, some of which are quite exten- 

 sive. Carp and gold-fish are the principal species taken. This fishery 

 has not yet attained commercial importance, nearly all of the fish 

 taken being consumed by the workers on the various Dlantations, who 

 catch them. 



A number of the ponds are used as private preserves b}^ their 

 owners and do not appear in the commercial tables given herewith. 



