COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 749 
Owners of ponds rarely have much to do with the practical working of them, 
usually leasing them to Chinese. Most of the ponds on Oahu are controlled by two 
Chinese merchant firms in Honolulu, who work in close harmony. They take partic- 
ular care that the Honolulu market shall never become overstocked with amaama 
and awa, and are thus able to command almost any price they please during- certain 
seasons of the year when amaama are not to be had elsewhere. The effect of this is 
felt severely b} ? the white population, who are the principal consumers of the amaama. 
The maintenance of private ponds should be encouraged as much as possible, as they 
are of great assistance in keeping up a regular supply of certain species at all seasons 
of the year. 
The tables following show, for the year 1900, by islands, the number and nation- 
ality of the pei’sons employed, the number and value of the fish ponds and boats, the 
number, kind, and value of apparatus employed in the ponds, the catch by species, 
and the catch by apparatus and species, together with the values of same. 
The island of Oahu leads in every particular, having 74 fish ponds, valued at 
1148,850, and employing 142 persons. The total investment for the island is $150,761. 
Molokai is second, with 15 ponds, valued at $11,425, 27 persons employed, and a 
total investment of $11,709. Kauai and Hawaii follow in the order named. The 
total investment in the pond fisheries for all of the islands is $168,943. 
The total catch for Oahu is 560,283 pounds, valued at $139,714; Molokai is 
second, with 91,919 pounds, valued at $22,980. The total catch for all the islands is 
682,464 pounds, valued at $167,041, of which 485,531 pounds, worth $119,202, are 
ama-ama, 
The gill net is the leading form of apparatus used, yielding 404,537 pounds, 
valued at $97,819. Dip nets, seines, and scoop nets follow in the order named. 
