Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 5. Fisheries Resources
Draft 1 March 2007
According to Yeeting (1988), Fisheries Division conducted surveys on Abariringa (Canton)
in 1983. A report written by Onorio was referenced in Yeeting (1988), but no citiation was
provided.
Yeeting (1988) noted that shark, lobsters, deepbottom fish, and tuna were not exploited on
Abariringa (Canton) and could probably be harvested commercially.
In 1988, exploratory gillnet, reef gleaning (walking the reef at night with a flashlight), rod
and hand lining fishing was undertaken on Abariringa (Canton) (Yeeting 1988). Gillnet
average catches were 7.41 kg/man/hour for the lagoon and 10.85 kg/man/hour for the reef.
Mullet and snapper were the main species landed during gillnet trials. Reef gleaning average
catch was 4.15 kg/man/hour. Redtail snapper was the major catch for reef gleaning. Rod and
line fishing catch rate was 6.03 kg/man/hour. The major catch was the longnosed emperor.
Handline catch rate was 8 kg/man/hour. A 12 kg marbled grouper was caught with handline.
In 1994, an initial assessment of mature bonefish, Albula neoguinaica, on Abariringa
(Kanton) was completed (Kamatie and Awira 1994). Bonefish inhabited the entire lagoon
and the ocean side of the island. Male bonefish maturity occurred at 32 cm and female
bonefish maturity occurred at 42 cm (TL, FL, or SL not specified). In assessment catches,
83% were males and 17% were females. Bonefish stocks were estimated at over 1 million
fish or about 757 tonnes (835 tons). Kamatie and Awira (1994) also provided various
suggestions on management of these stocks.
In 1995, red snapper, Lutjanus gibbus, populations for Abariringa (Tunaari) were estimated at
between 4,097 and 16,384 fish (Government of Kiribati 1995).
Trial gillnet fishing with a 8.9 cm (3.5 inch) mesh 50 m long resulted in a CPUE of 0.850
kg/hour (Government of Kiribati 1995). Gillnet sets were at Bikentabwakea and Tirieta and
the ocean side of Tebaronga.
Trial rod fishing in the lagoon resulted in a CPUE of 10.5 kg/hour per person (Government of
Kiribati 1995). Main fishes caught included: Caranx melampygus (rereba), Caranx ignobilis
(urua), Albula neoguinaica (ikari), Lutjanus gibbus (ikanibong), sting ray (te baiku), and
Lethrinus sp. (te rou).
Trial rod fishing on the ocean side resulted in a CPUE of 39.7 kg/hour per person
(Government of Kiribati 1995). Main fishes caught included: Caranx ignobilis (urua),
Sphyreana barracuda (baninua), and Thunnus albacares (ingimea).
Dive surveys were conducted on Abariringa (Kanton) (Stone 2004). Far fewer sharks were
observed than in previous years. This was attributed to a shark fishing vessel that had
operated in the Phoenix Islands in 2002.
BIRNIE
Fish were plentiful and as far as known, were not poisonous (Hydrographic Office 1940).
Bukaeireiti and Rabaua (2002) reported that the land-locked lagoon had milkfish.
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