The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-01-31

.s-s-s-
recommendations is demanded by the in
terests of Hawaii admit of no question.
It, however, raises the more important
question: Should such statute be pass
ed by Congress and enforced by the Fed
eral Judges, marshals, and other officials;
or should 1t be left to the action of the
Territorial legislature?
The present commission desires to ex-
press no opinion on this large question Of
national policy. 1t Is proper, however, to
state this fact. With the present Terri
torial legislature it is apparently wholly
impossible to pass any kind of statute
for the protection of the fisheries. With
the present laws governing suffrage there
is no prospect of any change in this re-
gard.
The chief argument used against pro-
tective laws is the desire of the Hawaii
an people to eat little fishes raw. OF
these little fishes thus eaten, one or two,
called "nehu," never grow large. On
the other hand, 1t may be urged that the
nehu is an important food OF larger
fishes; ,nat the market value OF all
which are taken is insignificant, and that
the young of the mullet and other fishes
of real value are taken and eaten with
the nehu.
INTRODUCTION OF ADDITIONAL
SPECIES
The fresh waters of the Hawaiian Isl
ands are too limited in Importance to
Justify experiments in acclimatization.
The chief streams are on the island of
Kauai The only native fishes in any of
the streams are different species of 60
bies, known collectively as "oopu." These
have some value as food, but are not
highly esteemed.
Although the waters adjacent to the
icla nj
zens of the sea, numerous efforts have
been made to introduce additional spe-
, cies. Among the principal species SO far
introduced are the following:
From China and Japan-Goldfish, china
. fish, a species of catfish, and one or more
, species of frogs.
From the United States-Brook trout,
black bass, catfish, carp. the bullfrog.
and the terrapn. In 1876 some salmon
| and trout eggs were sent to parties in
Honolulu in exchange for 100 ava. There
. is no record of what became of these
eggs. ~
The goldfish and frogs have thrived
i very well and are now to be found on
most Of the islands. At IIlo the frogs
, are so abundant that they have become
9 an article of sale. On the island OF
t Kauai they have been found especially
, useful in destroying the fluke, an insect
which works considerable damage to the
, cattle. They have also assisted very ma.
n terially in thinning out some of the nox'
d ious insects which have been introduced
o The china-fish Is to be found in mum
n bers in the vicinity of Honolulu alone
e and is raised In the irrigation bitches anc
d fresh water ponds. The china-fish anC
goldfish are generally sold alive to tn,
e Chinese.
y The rivers of the islands are, in nearly
every instance, small mountain streams
is which become torrents in the wet season
J. and a series OF pools, connected by slen
II der rivulets, during the dry season. Trou
/, do not thrive under such conditions ant
II it is a waste OF time to attempt t. ac
e climatize them. Only one plant (or
Kauai in 1890 has so far been made, anC
a nothing has been seen or heard of then
l. since The small-mouthed black lass
y however, would probably thrive unde
le such conditions. One plant of this spe
y cies has been made (at Hilo), and al
though they were never seen again 1t Il
lie probable that this was owing to thei
l. poor physical condition when planted
Owing to the absence of the consigne,
when they arrived they We're allowed I,
remain in the cans for some time befor
es being planted, and as a freshet occurre'
IN the next day 1t Is probable they were al
Id carried out to sea- AS the rivers ar
lie filled with fresh-water shrimp, the bas
IN The catfish american and Chinese) ar
y found in considerable numbers on Oahu
in the vicinity of Honolulu. Carp ar
" found on the islands of Maui and Kauai
" but are not yet common.
u, VALUABLE FISH RECOMMENDED.
~, y, more valuable fish than the bac
~ bass is probably available for these isl
. ands. 1t is the Japanese dwarf salmo
PlpCOElOSSnS 10 n
- of the most delicate OF fishes, breed
- freely, and lives in every clear stream G
= Japan from Hokka!do to Formosa, bein
" thus well adapted to the climate Of Ha
~ wall. Perhaps more than any other fol
~ eign fish whatever 1t merits introductio
n. into the waters of the United States
-, especially into those of California.
' Several lots of oysters from the easter
no part of the United States and from Cal
ey fornia have been brought to the island
at different times since 1898 and plante
. in Pearl Harbor. While the result
w achieved were not very satisfactory frol
- financial standpoint. still they wei
r,e sufficient to show that the busine.
ns might be put upon remunerative bas
er II it were given the time and attentio
-, necessary The eastern oyster was four
M to breed to limited extent,
~ CLANS could be planted in Pearl Ha
-, Dor and in other favorable localities, ar
NJ, would probably thrive well.
"a The abalone, which is very highly pri
~, ed by the Chinese. might be introduc,
~ on the rocky reefs and sea walls.
',,a The depletion of the fisheries of the
AZ islands can be best prevented by prop
"a protective legislation such as We ha'
~ suggested. Fish h-cultural methods ha'
~. not Yet been developed with regard
~ any of the fishes native to or suitable Z
~ these Islands. The establishment of
M Miia fish-cultural station there is at prese
.a' 20, wholly impracticable and unnecessary
BILE .",, ,,,,,,,, -, ,,a, - W.
Hole or that at Beaufort, n. c., for 4
study of the many important probler
os .1 connected with tropical insular aqua'
~ ~ life is of the highest Importance and
earnestly recommended.
oss FISH PONDS
The most Interesting of the fishery