The shoreline fishery of American Samoa analysis of 1-yr data (April 02- March 03) and implementation of a new sampling protocol
Coutures E. 2003. The shoreline fishery of American Samoa analysis of 1-yr data (April 02- March 03) and implementation of a new sampling protocol. DMWR Biological Report Series, No. 102. Department of Marine and Wildlife. Pago Pago, AS
A creel survey was implemented in early 2002 in order to determine the level and nature of the inshore fishing activity in American Samoa. The protocol included an assessment of the fishing effort in 2 areas of the South coast of Tutuila Island by counting the number of fishermen, and the gear used, during 8 hours of road survey along the coast. Catch per Unit effort per gear was obtained by interviewing fishermen. Island-wide expansions of catch estimate form the survey areas were between 16 and 40 harvesting in comparison with previous studies. However, the analysis showed a bias in the protocol implying an underestimate of the effort, and a lack of information from night effort. Thus, a new sampling protocol is proposed.