Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 5. Fisheries Resources
Draft 1 March 2007
In 1978, the Fisheries Division conducted a variety of surveys for economically important
fish in Nikumaroro (Gilbert Islands 1978). These included surveys using beach seines, gill
net, tangle net, trolling and hand lines. In addition, surveys for beche-de-mer and rock
lobsters were conducted. During fishing trials, sharks were a nuisance both inside and
outside of the lagoon. Reef and ocean fishes, sharks and lobsters were abundant. However,
beche-de-mer were not seen in commercial quantities.
The abundance of fisheries resources on Nikumaroro has been mentioned in past reports
(Gilbert Islands 1978). However, there was a difference between artisanal and commercial
abundance and viability. According to fisheries staff, Nikumaroro would probably be able to
support a subsistence community of perhaps 100. However, development of commercial
fisheries was another question. With only two lagoon entrances, these could be closed off
with nets and lagoon fish resources could be depleted.
Milkfish ponds were considered by Gilbert Islands (1978). However, labor requirements for
pond construction limited this possibility. Surface water was tested from the five milkfish
ponds on the island. Salinity was 2,500 ppm.
In 1995, trial rod fishing was conducted on the lagoon and reef of Nikumaroro (Government
of Kiribati 1995). The CPUE for both the lagoon and reef combined was 15.54 kg/hour per
person. Bonefish were the common catch in the lagoon. Trial trolling was also completed.
The trolling CPUE was 14.68 kg/hour per person. Trolling catch included: rainbow runner
(te kama), black trevelly, yellowfin, te tawatawa, and wahoo.
In 1995, two trial gillnet sets were completed on Nikumaroro, one inside the lagoon, the other
on the reef flat (Government of Kiribati 1995). CPUE was 1.524 kg/m 2 per hour. Catch was
primarily adult milkfish, mullet and shark.
ORONA (HULL)
Maude (1937) reported that fish were abundance in Orona’s (Hull’s) lagoon and reef. Some
fish species were said to be poisonous.
Fish and lobsters were plentiful (Hydrographic Office 1940). Lagoon fish may be poisonous.
During 1950 to 1951, four visits were made to Orona (Hull) (June and Reintjes 1953).
Several species of mullet were observed in varying amounts. Amounts were inadequate to
attempt seining. It was doubtful that sufficient bait was present to make seining feasible.
In 1951, field studies were completed to examine fish poisoning in the Phoenix Islands
(Halstead and Bunker 1954). Fish collections were made on Abariringa (Canton), Enderbury,
Orona (Hull), Rawaki (Phoenix), and Manra (Sydney). A total of 93 species were tested.
Toxicity was indicated for 27 species, or 29 percent. There was evidence that species may be
poisonous at one site, but not in another.
A list of fish found to be toxic from Abariringa (Canton), Enderbury, Orona (Hull), and
Manra (Sydney) (Halstead and Bunker 1954) is provided in Table III-5.19 above.
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