COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 475 



In the Lihue district, on Kauai, there are 7 of these private fish 

 ponds. 



Owners of fish ponds operated commercially rarely manage them 

 directly, but lease them to others, usually Chinese. Nearly all of 

 the Oahu ponds are controlled by a combination of Chinese, and are 

 so operated as not to overstock the markets, thus keeping up the 

 prices. This policy works to the disadvantage of the white popula- 

 tion mainly, as they are the principal consumers of the ama-ama. 

 Owing to the high prices received for this fish some of these ponds 

 are very valuable, one located on Oahu being assessed by the Terri- 

 tory on a valuation of $25,000 (the lessee of this pond pays a yearly 

 rental of $2,500), while two others in the immediate vicinity are 

 assessed at $16,000 and $12,450, respectively. One on Koolau Bay, 

 Oahu, is assessed at $12,000; another in Waipio, Oahu, at $6,400, and 

 one in Kalihi, Oahu, at $4,000. Aside from those located on Oahu, 

 fish ponds are not very valuable, largel}^ owing to the lack of a steady 

 and sufficient demand for ama-ama. If the fish could be marketed, 

 the Molokai fish ponds would produce almost unlimited quantities of 

 amaama. 



The tables below show, by islands, the number and nationality of the 

 persons employed, the number and value of the fish ponds and boats, 

 the number, kind, and value of apparatus operated, the catch by 

 species, and the catch by species and apparatus, together with the values 

 of same, in the pond fisheries during 1903. The data in these tables 

 appear also in the general statistical tables given elsewhere. 



The island of Oahu leads in every particular, with 67 fish ponds 

 valued at $154,900, 138 persons employed, and a total investment, 

 including value of ponds and boats, of $156,990. Molokai is second, 

 with 12 ponds valued at $4,050, 30 persons employed, and a total 

 investment of $5,310. Kauai, Hawaii, Maui, and Lanai follow in the 

 order enumerated. As compared with the data for 1900 there has 

 been a decrease of 13 in the number of fish ponds operated, but in 

 every other regard there have been slight increases. Since 1900 the 

 fish pond on Lanai and the one at Kahului, Maui, have been repaired 

 and are now in use. In that year there were no fish ponds operated 

 commercially on these two islands. 



Chinese predominate in the pond fisheries, 132 being so employed, 

 to 55 Hawaiians and 6 Americans. In 1900 there were 147 Chinese, 

 43 Hawaiians, and 1 American, showing a decrease in 1903 of 15 Chi- 

 nese and an increase of 12 Hawaiians and 5 Americans. 



The total catch for Oahu is 578,292 pounds, valued at $93,568. As 

 the total catch for all the islands was 672,953 pounds, valued at 

 $111,321, the great preponderance of Oahu is manifest. Molokai is 

 second, with 43,361 pounds, valued at $10,279, followed by Maui, 



