Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 5. Fisheries Resources
Draft 1 March 2007
5. FISHERIES RESOURCES
CHAPTER III.
BACKGROUND
A. OFFSHORE FISHERIES RESOURCES (TUNA)
In the late 1940’s, J. Francis was hired by the Hawaiian Tuna packers Ltd., to conduct
baitfish studies around the Phoenix Islands to determine the feasibility of setting up a tuna
industry there (Teiwaki 1988).
Shimada (1951) reported that additional skipjack spawning grounds were near the Phoenix
Islands. This was based on results of the 1950 Pacific Ocean Fishery Investigations (POFI)
survey. Juvenile skipjack (25 and 38 mm TL) were collected while the research vessel was
drifting near the Phoenix Islands. In addition, juvenile skipjack (20, 22, and 35 mm TL) were
caught while night fishing off the west end of Orona (Hull).
June and Reintjes (1953) document common tuna-bait fishes from Abariringa (Canton),
Birnie, Enderbury, and Orona (Hull) (see Table III-5.1 below).
Table III-5.1. Common tuna-bait fishes that are found in the Phoenix Islands
(Source: June and Reintjes 1953).
Species Common name Abariringa Birnie Enderbury Orona
(Canton)
(Hull)
Albula vulpes bonefish X
Chanos chanos milkfish X
Spratelloides delicatulus small round
herring
X
Allanetta ovalaua Fijian silversides X X
Neomyxus chaptalli, False mullet X X X
Mugil vaigiensis Black-fin mullet X X
Mugil longimanus Blue-tailed mullet X
Crenimugil crenilabis Thick-lip mullet X X
Scomberoides sanctipetri
Leatherjacket X
Decapterus pinnulatus Mackerel scad X X
Kuhlia sandvicensis Mountain bass X X X
Mulloidichthys
auriflamma
Golden goatfish X X
Mulloidichthys
samoensis
Samoan goatfish X X
June and Reintjes (1953) noted that there were no reports on the successful introduction of
the sailfin molly, Mollienesia latipinna to the Phoenix Islands.
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