Research in fisheries biology in Fiji and the role of the Institute of Marine Resources

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RESEi\\RC ll I N fTS IIERJ.ES BlOI.OGY
lN FIJI /\\ND TllE ROLE OF TIIE INSTITUTE
OF MARINE RESOURCES ,
TIIE UNIVERSITY or- TIIE SOUTII P/\\ClFIC
THE INSTITUTE OF MARINE RESOURCES; THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFI

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RESEARCH IN FISHERIES BIOLOGY
IN FIJI AND TIIE ROLE OF THE INSTITUTE
OF MARINE RESOURCES,
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC
by
Dr, Leon P. Zann
Acting Director
Institute of Marine Re5ources
The University of the South Pacific
SUVA, FIJI
Delivered before Fiji Institute of Agricultural Science Annual
General Meeting, 26 March, 1983 . To be published in Fiji
Journal of Agriculture.

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RESEARCH IN FISHERIES BIOLOGY IN FIJI
AND THE ROLE OF THE INSTITUTE OF MARINE RESOURCES,
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC
by Dr.Leon P, Zann
INTRODUCTION:
Fish are very important to Fiji's economy and are currently the
second largest export. In 1981 nearly 10,000 tonnes of fish worth
about $20 million was exported as canned and frozen products
(Fisheries Report, 1981).
Fish are also very important in the local diet. Approximately
2,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish wor t h $2 .7 million were sold in
urban municipal markets in 1981. For t he subsistence dwelle r fish
is vital. It is estimated that about 12,000 tonnes, worth about
$20 million at local market prices, is caught in the subsistence
fishery per annum (Fisheries Report, 1981).
With the declaration of its 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone it is
hoped that Fiji's fisheries will become an even more i mportant
revenue earner in the futute.
RESEARCH AND FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT:
Marine biological research can be divided into a number of aspects
e.g.
(1) Identification and assessment of potential new fisherie s .
(2) Biological studies needed for the managemen t of t hese
and established fisheries,
(3) Studies of specific related problems e.g. fish poisoni ng,
process i ng.
(4) Background research in related f ields suc h as e cology and
oc eanogra phy which may assist in the above.
(5) Theoretical studies which have no dir ect relevance to
the above but which contribute to the general pool of
scientific knowledge.
In the third world where specialized expertese and funds ar e lacking
marine research should be ranked in the above priorities. Areas
(4) and especially (5) might be luxur ies i n poorer countries.

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MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
The identification of management procedures (2 above) should be
regarded as the major goal for marine research. The World fisheries
have had~ grim history of non-management, especially where several
nations or interests h<1vc access Lo a slngle rc::H.Juri.;c. Examples
of over-fishing are legion, ranging from the tiny North Sea herring
to the giant whales of the high latitudes.
In traditional times in Fiji management practices were widespread.
Clan ownership of the sea prevented over-exploitation while many
conservational practices evolved over millenia on a trial and error
basis. However the advent of the cash economy, commercial fisheries,
improved gear, increasing demand for fish, and new fisheries
necessitate that marine research must formulate new guidelines
for management,
Certain difficulties are inherent in the development and management
of tropical fisheries, In temperate ecosystems there is a trend
for fewer species and larger numbers of individuals of each, while
in the tropics large numbers of species but smaller numbers of
individuals, As well as creating technological problems in fishing,
it vastly compounds the problems of management.
Temperate water fisheries models and management procedures may
therefore be inappropriate for tropical f.isheries. For example,
in tropical Australia fisheries regulations have existed for many
years prohibiting the taking of fish below certain sizes, This
is sound practice in temperate species with limited fecundity as
it allows immature fish to grow up and reproduce. However it was
recently found that very many reef fish change sex as they grow,
starting life as males and changing into females as they get larger.
Thus for years Australian fishermen were keeping the reproductively
valuable females and releasing the less important males. Thus a
basic temperate-water fisheries practice was useless, even harmful,
in the tropics,
As very little research has been conducted on tropical fisheries
by the scicntiflcnlly nnd technically ndvnnccd nntions, it falls
upon the Pacific Islands to attempt their own. The multi-million

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doliar q~estion is: can they really afford expensive, time-consuming
and often unrewarding scientific research?
Several options face the Pacific Island na t ions. They can proceed
with commercial fisheries development regardless of the consequences
(this has occurred in most fisheries in the past). Or they can
proceed with caution, monitoring catches carefully to develop
management policies on a "trial and error" basis. Or alternatively,
they can invest heavily in fisheries research, bearing the necessary
time delay and great cost.
ROLES OF REGIONAL ORGANIZ/\\TIONS IN FISIIERIES RESEARCH
The respective role of the commercial and public sectors in fisheries
development should also be examined.
In the past, exploratory fishing by the es t ablished fishing nations
(Japan, Russia, U.S., Scandanavia) were responsib le for most
discoveries of new fisheries. In more recent years government
fisheries research vessels have made significant new discoveries in
more remote areas (e.g. Antarctica) and in those areas diffic ult t o
fish (e.g. deepwater zones) which had not been explored by commercial
fleets because of the high costs involved. In Fiji and other island
countries much of the "public sector" research is provided by aid
funds, while 11private sector" fishing is poorly de veloped.
A surprisingly large number of institutions nnd organizations have be en
active in fisheries research and development in Fiji and neighbouring
countries and a large amount of aid money has been invested in fisheries,
often without any apparent consequences.
The Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agric ulture and Fisheries,
Fiji, has been engaged in the identification and development of marine
resources e.g. tunas, deepwater snappers, shrimps, beche-de-mer e t c .),
the promotion of small-scale commercial fisheries and village fishing
schemes, investigations of aquac ulture potential, and some basic
research on mangroves and tuna baitfish.

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The South Pacific Commission has also been engaged in a number of
studies in Fiji e.g. the assessment of tuna stocks and migration,
deepwater snapper exploration, shell cottage-industries.
Other bodies active in fisheries research, development and management
include the Forum Fisheries Agency based in Honiara, various U.N.
a-g-enctes s-uch as F.l\\.(:). rrrrd tJ.N.I.Lt>-., and agem:rcS from t.lro- l.tnit-ed
State Peace Corps, Foundatlon for the Peoples of the South Pacific),
from Britain (Fisheries Advisor~, Germany (Hanns Seidel Foundation)
and France (CNEXO).
In addition,the University of the South Pacific's Institute of Marine
Resources has an extensive programme of research in fisheries and
marine sciences.
With so many bodies engaged in fisheries studies there are often areas
of overlapping interests and, on occasion, claims of duplication of
effort. There have been suggestions that a single body such as the
SPC might conduct all marine research in the Pacific Islands, although
this is hardly realistic in such a vast and diverse area. Nevertheless
it is critical that research be rationalized, and that all bodies
conducting marine studies collaborat~ in the region 1 s best interest.
The following is an outline of the Institute of Marine Resources'
research projects and a clarification of its role in the area of
fisheries and marine research:
THE INSTITUTE OF MARINE RESOURCES
The Institute was set up by the University in 1978 for 11 action-
orientated11 research, training and consultancies in the field of marine
resources in the eleven island nations and territories which comprise
the University region. As it is obviously impossible for small
countries to support extensive research operations, the Ins t itute
consists of a small core staff of scientists with general skills, but
draws upon specialized staff from overseas affiliates such as the
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (through the Seagrants scheme) and
Kagoshima University in Southern Japan. It has received project
funding from a number of organizations, the major one being the
European Economic Gommunit:y. The Tnstitut:~ is C!quipp<•d with hnsi c

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scientific, oceanographic and fisheries gear, and has two ocean-
going vessels and a fleet of small craft.
TRAINING
Education is the primary role of a university. In the area of train-
ing, the Institute services the practical Diploma of Tropical. Fisheries
which has produced in excess of 100 fisheries offocers for Fiji and
other islands. This is now in its final year of operation, having
satisfied the immediate requirements of Fiji. The Institute also
teaches several courses in marine sciences in the more theoretical B.Sc.
program and will be developing a specialized B.Sc. in Fisheries and
Marine Sciences to satls[y the small, but important requirements for
local marines cientists, It conducts a two-month program in Earth
Sciences and Marine Geology each year, as well as various specialized
training workshops, for example, on 11Fish Poisoning" (with WHO) in
January 1983. In June, 1983, it is to host a major workshop on the
"Exclusive Economic Zone" for the Forum Fisheries Agency.
RESEARCH
Although a university's normal research is in theoretical fields ("pure"
science) the research programs of the Institute of Marine Resources have
a more practical application and relevance to the region, as befitting
an institution in the Third World. Its projects generally provide a
scientific background to the developmental programs of the Fisheries
Division and S.P.C. For example, t he latter organizations have
programs on deep water snapper fisheries: Fiji Fisheries Division in
the development of local fisheries and training of fishermen, and
S.P.C. in general exploration. The Institute 1 s research has provided
a scientific background on the classification, distribution and
general biology of the snappers. In this field there has also been a
practical "spin-off" as deepwater longlines tested by the Institute
has provided local fishermen with information on gear and catch rates.
Major areas of interest in research are in snappers and shrimp of
the outer reef slopes of islands, the tuna baitfish and ciguatera
fish poisoning. Other practical research has been conducted on
seawave energy, various fishing gears, and small-scale commercial
and subsistence fisheries. Studies of "background scientific value"

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have been conducted on corals, mangroves, and the deepwater benthps
(bottom fauna), Academic studies have been conducted on various
crustacea, worms, molluscs, sea squirts and so on.
The following is a brief description of the major studies:
(1) STUDIES OF THE OUTER REEF SLOPE
Although they comprise only 10% of the seas, the shallow continen t al
shelves provide 90% of the world's fisheries. However the Pacific
islands almost entirely lack shelves and the islands drop rapidly
away into the deeps.
For this reason exploratory fishing has concentrated on the outer
reef slopes, from 100 m to 1000 min depth. As the-deep water
offshore was not traditionally fished, fishing rights problems, a
constraint to developing commercial fisheries in Fiji, should not be en-
countered. Exploitation of these new resources wi 11 also re leave the
mounting fishing pressure on the inshore lagoons and reefs. So far
there have been promising finds of shrimp and snapper on the outer
reef slopes.
(A) DEEPWATER SHRIMP
Deepwater carid shrimps have been trap-fished commercially in
Hawaii, Guam and Chile, and are trawled in the North Atlantic.
Studies in the Institute (King, 1980; 1981; 1982) have established
the identities, depth distribution, range and basic biology of
Heterocarpus spp, and Parapandalus spp. in Fiji and neighbouring
islands. As a result of these surveys a s mall commercial fishery
began in Vanuatu, and a pilot commercial fishing tria ls were
conducted in Fiji,
(B) DEEPwATER SNAPPERS
Studies have also been conducted on the deepwater fish using traps,
droplines and longlines. Reef slopes off islands and seamounts have
been surveyed and a number of new spe cies have been discovered
(Raj and Seeto, 1983 a and b).

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A number of large snappers e.g. Pristipomoides; Paracaesio have been
found in large enough numbers to support a commercial fishery . The
large size, fine edible qualities and absence of ciguatera fish
poisoning will make the deepwater snappers valua b le luxury food fish
for local consumption and export,
Catch rates and gear tested by the Institute has been useful to
those entering this fishery,
(2) TUNA BAITFISH
Smal 1 fish (anchovies, hcrr ings etc.) are ur.cd in the sldpjack tuna
pole•·and-line fishery for live bait or chum. The lack of baitfish
has been a majoi problem in this fishery in the islands.
The Institute has conducted studies on the basic biology of the bait
fish, the species composition (several dozen have been identified),
size and population structures from 46 sites around Fiji (Prasad, 1982).
As wild bait is often l!navailable, the IKA Corporation is to establish
aquaculture facilities for an emergency supplies of bait in the
tuna season. The Institute has provided a consultant for this project.
(3) FISH POISONING
Ciguatera fish poisoning is a major problem in many places. In a
recent epidemic (February 1983) 42 cases were admitted into the
Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva.
The Institute has been active i11 fish poisoning research a11d has a
·,.
small extraction and bioassay testing laboratory. Prof. Yas umoto,
the discoverer of the causative agent of ciguatera poisoning, the
dinoflagellate Gambiadiscus toxicus, has been a frequent visitor to
the Institute. Investigations of other types of fish poisoni ng,
including the 11balolo season poisoning" are also underway in
collaboration with Japanese scientists.
The Institute hosted a WHO fish poisoning wdrkshop in January 1983
in which the latest discoveries of the leading scient i sts in the field
were presented.

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(4) TRADITIONAL FISHING KNOWLEDGE
The subsistence fisheries remain very important in Fiji. Studies
of traditional fishing knowledge have been undertaken to document
and evaluate the age-old skills of Fijian fishermen (Kunatuba, 1983).
Surveys of traditional fishing and- canoes have also been undertaken
by the author in other Pacific Islands (e.g. Zann, 198l).
Studies of traditional island fis heries may provid e important
information on the sustainable yields of co r al reefs, necessary for
the management of reef fisheries (Zann, 1983).
(5) THE ENERGY CRISIS AND ARTISANAL FISHERIES
Fishing, an energy-intensive industry, has been very seriously
affected by the 15 fold increase in oil over the past decade.
The author has conducted surveys of small-scale fishing in Fiji and
other islands, evaluating the effects of rising fuel prices on
fishing trends (e.g. Zann, 1982).
(6) OTHER STUDIES
The staff and visitors of the Institute have been engaged in many
other studies. These include:
The Fijian river mussel or kai Batissa
(Raj)
Effects of sand mining in Laucala Bay (Penn)
The Nautilus (Zann; Muntz)
Corals and reef ecology (Raj; Morton )
The benthos of the reef slope (Zann).
(7) CONSULTANCIES
The Institute also provides consultancy s ervices in the fie l ds of
marine s ciences. Some involve substantia l res e arc h projects whereas
others are far easier to answer.

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E~amples of major consultancies in the past year include:
Baseline studies of oil prospects in Bau Waters (Gawel et~-)
Baseline study of Betio Causeway, Tarawa Atoll (Zann)
Survey of deepwater shrimp in the Gulf of Papua (King)
Rarely does a week pass without someone wanting advice on a fish,
environmental impact factors, an enquiry from n hospital on fish
poisoning and so on.
CONCLUSION
Marine research is one of the most important activities of a
university which services the tiny, scattered island nations of the
South Pacific.
The Institute of Marine Resources has demonstrated the necessity of
a research facility in the islands examining problems of island
life and assisting in the development of island fisheries.

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REFERENCES
ANNUAL REPORT (1981). Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries, Fiji.
Kunatuba, P. (1983). 1. Traditional knowledge of the marine
environment in Fiji. 2. Traditional sea tenure and conser-
vation. Institute of Marine Resources Technical Report .
King, M. (1980). A trapping survey for deepwater shrimp
(Decapoda: natantia) in Western Samoa. Institute of Marine
Resources Technical Report.
(1981). Increasing interest in the tropical Pacific's
deepwater shrimps. Australian Fisheries 4C: 33-41.
(1982). Report on the South Pacific Commision deepwater
shrimp assessment consultancy in Papua New Guinea. SPC, New
Caledonia.
Prasad, J.R. (1982). On the abundance, distribut ion and biology
of tuna baitfishes in Fijian waters. Institute of Marine
Resources Technical Report,
Raj, U. and Seeto, J. (1983a). A new species of deepwater
Plectranthias (Family: Seranidae) from Fiji Islands.
Japanese Journal of Ichthyology.
Raj, U. and Seeto, J, (19836). A new species of Paracaesio
(Pisces: LutjaniQae) from the Fiji Islands. Copeia.
Zann, L.P. (1981). Subsistence fisheries of Tuvalu. Institut e
of Marine Resources Technical Report
(1982). The energy crisis in the Sou t h Pacific.
Australian Fisheries 41: 24-29.
(1983) Man and Atolls: traditional pat t erns of
utilization and conservation in Kiribati and Tuvalu. XV
Pacific Science Congress, Dunedin . Institute of Marine
Resources Technical Report.