COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 479 



carried on, and he expects to dry sharks' fins, and also dry and salt 

 fishes and other aquatic products. The steady demand for sharks' 

 fins among the Chinese resident in the islands is at present supplied 

 by importation. 



When the magnificent area of the deep-sea fishing banks off the 

 Hawaiian Islands is considered, the marvel is that the skillful fisher- 

 men have not visited them more extensively. The chief reason 

 undoubtedly has been that the native, having few wants, could easily 

 satisfy them, either inside the reefs which partially girt the islands 

 within a mile from shore, or at the detached reefs nearby. Quite a 

 change in the methods of fishing followed the advent of the Japanese, 

 who, coming from an island country where ocean fishing had been 

 practiced from time immemorial, naturally embarked in the same 

 industry here. A few years' experience showed that the best fishing 

 grounds were on the reefs off the west and south coasts of Molokai, 

 and now these grounds are regularly visited by a fleet of 40 to 50 Jap- 

 anese sampans from Honolulu. It is the custom to make trips on 

 Monday, returning on Friday or Saturday of each week. This can 

 not be called a vessel fishery, however, because the largest of the sam- 

 pans is not more than about 4 tons net. 



Owing to the rapid increase of the population of Oahu (especially 

 Honolulu, the capital) during the last decade, the demand for fishery 

 products has grown at a tremendous rate. Unfortunately the supply 

 from the local fisheries has not kept pace with this demand, and as a 

 result prices have increased enormously on some of the choicer species. 

 Owing to the high traffic rates exacted by the interisland steamer lines, 

 it has not been practicable to secure supplies from the adjacent islands, 

 and thus for years the extensive resources of Kauai, Maui, and Molo- 

 kai have been only partially worked, owing to the absence of a con- 

 venient market, while Oahu was absolutely suffering for the lack of 

 these products, although willing and anxious to pay a good price for 

 them. 



Several attempts have been made (all by white men) to improve this 

 condition, but for various reasons all have heretofore met with fail- 

 ure. The last serious attempt was in 1898, when a company was 

 formed in Honolulu. At considerable expense, this company had the 

 gasoline schooner Malolo constructed and fitted out to engage in the 

 business, and a station was established at Palaau district, on Molokai. 

 The idea was to leave fishing crews at this station and use the vessel 

 in carrying the catch to Honolulu. Owing to the unreliability of the 

 various crews, however, the project had to be abandoned the same 

 year it was inaugurated. In February and April, 1904, when the last 

 investigation was made, various schemes for establishing vessel fish- 

 eries were being worked out. A company, of which Mr. Lee Gilbert, 

 of Honolulu, is the head, was formed early in the year and a small 



