The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-13
A NEW FISH SUPPLY.

There Is need of a greater variety Of
food fish in these waters. The Govern
ment of the Territory is now so related
to the work of the United States Fish
Commission that it might be able to
get the lack made good at little trouble
and at no cost.
We call it as easy. given proper con-
sideration of marine temperatures and
sea foods, TO stock coastwise waters
with fish brought from distance as 1t
is to stock interior waters or replenisn
forest and prairie preserves wIth ex-
otto game. Shore-keeping fish ara not
lost when they are put in the waters
of an isolated archipelago like this.
They will not attempt to swim 2000
miles to the nearest Mainland; instead
they stay in the new habitat and make
the best of il. If the place is congenial
they thrive.
Tnere rs a kind of fish on tie Califor-
MA and Mexican coasts, the barracuda,
which would be a most welcome addi-
ton to the finny deniZens Of Hawaiian
deeps. both as a food fish and an OBJ
ject of sport. About this time of year
or little earlier, these fish are found
in millions on the coast of Southern
California headed north. A month ear
lier they are caught at Magdalena bay;
earlier than that they linger about
Cape St. Lucas, the extreme headland
of the Mexican peninsula of Baja Call
I ifornia. a place almost exactly in the
latitude of Oahu. These fish are also
to be found on the other side of the
continental divide on the Bahama
banks, where they grow to an enormous
size The barracuda seen in Califor
mia waters weighs from six to twelve
pounds and is easily caught half mile
from shore by trolling from yachts and
launches. In shape it is like the East
ern fresh-water pickerel, long and
rakish, with a projecting mouth that
comes to a point and is provided with
alligator jaws The flavor of the bar
racuda is excellent, the flesh being
Z firm yet delicate of texture and as
toothsome as black or striped bass. We
do not doubt that il the spawn of the
barracuda were brought here and nur-
tured in a Government fish hatchery,
we should soon have valuable results.
| Perhaps il would be necessary to inn
port the California sardine for barra-
/ cuda food and as a further comfort to
/ the fish-eating populace; but that
would be no task for the Fish Commits
sion.
Hawaii could not hope for California
salmon as our fresh water streams are
not large or long enough and are too
warm to meet the spawning purpose.
Nor could we do anything with shad for
the same reasons. The Spanish mack
erel. the Southern halibut, the delicate
pompano and two or three other food
fish known to Lower California waters
are interesting possibilities-most in
teresting to people who are compelled
to put up with mullet. mainly, and
mighty little of that.
The thing to do is for the Govern
ment or any representative man oil
body of Hawaii to write to the FISH
Commission about the local need
whereupon, If the Commission think!
anything can be done a visit from 1t:
Pacific ocean ship, the Albatross, will
. follow and we may get a hatchery
Assuredly Hawaii is entitled to thes'
favors, which are among the perqui
sites enjoyed by all parts Of the Uniol
the shores of which are washed by sal
> water.