Isle fish sales at decade high
By Michael Tighe
Associated PressHawaii's commercial fishermen caught and sold more fish in 1997 than anytime in the previous decade, even though their own numbers were declining, according to the latest statistics.
The State of Hawaii Data Book for 1997 said 3,632 commercial fishermen caught 25.3 million pounds of fish. Of that total, 24.6 million pounds were sold for $53.3 million. Compared with 1996, the number of fishermen decreased by 40, the catch increased by more than 1.3 million pounds, the catch sold increased by about 1.6 million pounds and the value increased by $900,000.
The 1997 value should keep Honolulu among the top 10 ports nationwide. It was sixth in 1996, according to National Marine Fisheries Service figures.
Reginald Kokubun, a statistician with the state Division of Aquatic Resources, said the smaller number of commercial fishermen -- a drop of more than 400 since 1994 -- doesn't necessarily mean the industry is in trouble.
Rather, the number of commercial fishermen is returning to typical levels after ballooning from an influx of swordfish longliners from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
"In the last two years, the market wasn't bearing the broadbill (or swordfish) population," Kokubun said yesterday. "Some longliners went back."
Longliners drop lines stretching across 80 miles of sea and dangling thousands of hooks.
Swordfish still made up the largest catch in 1997, with fishermen landing about 4.5 million pounds, selling slightly less and earning about $13.2 million. Those figures all increased from 1996.
Tuna was the most popular species for fishermen, with landings of 13.7 million pounds, sales of 13.4 million pounds and earnings of about $28 million. Those catch totals increased from 1996 but the value decreased by about $500,000.
Of the tunas, yellowfin ahi was the most popular, with 4.2 million pounds landed, but bigeye ahi were the most valuable at $11.5 million, the state data book said.
Although Hawaii's commercial catch in 1997 was the highest in a decade, federal fisheries officials say most deep-ocean stocks remain healthy. Some nearshore bottomfish stocks, including ehu and onaga, are overfished and subject to federal protections.
