The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-30
FISH PONDS.

4
The most interesting of the fishery r,
sources of the islands are the fish pond
Many of these were built so long az
that even tradition does not approximat
the date. AS they We're originally owne
by the kings and chiefs, it is very prob
able that they Were built by the force
labor of the common people. They ar
found principally In the bays indentin
the shores of the islands, the commo
method of construction being to build
wall OF lava rock across the narrowes
part of the entrance to a small bay o
plgnt Of land and use the inclosed spac
for the pond. They were also built OF
the seashore itself, the wall in that cas-,
| being run out from two points on tn,
shore some distance apart in the shape
| of half circle. A few We're built some
what interior, and these are filed by the
| fresh-water streams from the mountains
| or by tidal water from the sea carried to
them by means of bitches. In the sea
ponds the walls are built somewhat
loosely, which permits the water to per-
colate freely. The ponds are arranged
with narrow entrances, protected by
sluice gates, which can be opened or
closed at will. These are frequently left
open when the tide is running in, which
allows the amaama, or mullet, and the
ava to enter freely. When the tide turns
the gates are closed, making prisoners
those which have entered. The sait-wa-
ter ponds usually contain only the anna
anna and ava.
In the fresh and brackish water ponds
goldfish. china fish, oopu, opoe, carp,
aholehole. and okuhekuhe are kept. No
attempt at fish culture is made with
these ponds, the young fish being cap
tured in the open in the case of most or
the species enumerated and placed In the
ponds until they attain a marketable
size. Large quantities of amaama and
ava are handled in these ponds annually,
especially on the island of Oahu. Dip
nets, seines, gill nets, and scoop nets are
used in taking the fish from the ponds;
and as they are quite shallow, this is
done very easily. The ponds are operat-
ed almost exclusively by Chinese.
A number of the ponds have been al
lowed to fall into decay. particularly on
Molokai and Hawaii, while on Oahu 9TH
ers have been filled up to meet the grow
ing demand for rice land and for other
purposes. The maintenance of these
ponds should be encouraged as much as
possible, as they are of great assistance
in maintaining a regular supply of fish
at all seasons of the year.
The irrigation bitches used in water
ng the numerous rice fields are also en-
ployed incidentally in raising a few of
he species enumerated above.
FISH MARKET AND METHODS.
There are seven fish market houses,
me each at Honolulu, Hilo and Wailuku,
md four at Lahaina. In addition ped
Hers with small carts retail fish through
,ut the sections of inhabited country
which are not convenient to the mar
lets OF to the fisheries. There is great
DOM for development in this part of the
business, however. as the inhabitants Of |
ome of the more inaccessible villages |
ears end to another to purchase fish.
AT Honolulu the market house. with |
and. is valued at s155,0O0 1t is owned |
y the Territorial government, and is
ne of the best appointed fish markets in |
he United States. A fish inspector with |
ne assistant, is in charge of the mar
et, and all fish must be inspected by |
i'm before they go upon the stalls. In
his manner complete control over the
sh sold in the city is obtained, as no |
eddllng through the streets is permit
I'd.
There are 20 stalls for the sale of fresh
shery products, the rents of which vary
rom SD to $50 per month, according to
'cation. Only 10 of these were occupied
/ 1900 Of these, IL were run by Chinese
1ree by Japanese, and one by natives.
lie total number of persons employed |
eing Chinese 40, Japanese six. and ma
yes two In addition to these six tables
ere occupied by six native women on /
aturday for the sale of limu (aIgae,
lille three tables were devoted to the
he of dried fish during most of the
eek, and We're run by three native wom-
l. On a few days in the week when !
esh fsh are scarce, certain of the deal
s also sell picked California salmon. l
he fishermen bring their catch to the |
arket at whatever hour is convenient |
them, and the dealers sell for them
J basis of 10 per cent commission.
ism brought in previous to noon must |
sold before the market closes the | {
me day, but if brought in after noon
can, II not sold before night, be kept i
a coid-storase house close by. and i
dced on the stalls again the next morn {
g, but in that event it must be desig. G
tied by a small pIacard bearing the | G
ords, iced fish" The inspector is en- g
wered by law to pass upon all fish be- I
re being placed upon the stalls, and a
n condemn any tainted fish either then t
afterwards. Tt is the usual custom a
make frequent inspections of the fish y
ter they go upon the stalls, as they t
on become tainted in that climate No f
: is used around the market house I
lie larger fish are dressed while the | +
laller ones are sold round. There Is no d
IS in dressing, however. as the head | n
trails, etc, are sold. All except gold a
n are sold dead. This market is ex- d
edingly well managed, and there ap- e
arS out little, IL any, chance for i'm d
ovement. !,
The market house at Hilo. which is t
ned by private parties. was built at an e
pense of $4,000. including the value of a
2 land. and was opened for business on
'ril l, 1899. During 1900 the number of u
Ills occupied was %, the rents of which Il
ried from s. to SIS per month. These Il
Re not occupied continuously, as fire. Il
emily dealer would give up the bust
IS after week or a months trial and u
income else would start it up. There OF
: 81 stalls in all. The number of per- q
Is employed around the market were la
Chinese, IS Japanese. and II natives "
ring the summer of 1901 a syndicate Of
inese and Japanese bought up the OF
lis and began to take advantage or n
fr position by shutting out the other III
llers and compelling the fishermen to til
to them at low price, while there
s no limit to what they could charge ST