This paper describes the results of field surveys conducted by the Honolulu Laboratory on the spiny lobster, Panulirus marginatus, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Of 17 islands and submerged banks surveyed from October 1976 to November 1978, only Necker Island and Mar0 Reef had suffi- ciently large stocks of spiny lobsters to warrant comercial exploitation. The distribution of spiny lobsters in relation to geographical area and depth is also discussed. Future research needs are identified, including specialized data on the environment and the stocks to estimate their magnitude and potential yield, data on seasonal and spatial variation in stock distribution and abundance, and observations on behavior of spiny lobster in relation to biological and environmental conditions.

Stomach contents collected from those greater amber- jack, Seriola dumerlll , tested for ciguatoxicity, were (1) examined to determine whether a relationship exists between feeding habits and incidence of toxicity, and (2) analyzed to determine the extent of geographic variability in the diet. Amberjack were classified into two weight groups. Large fish caught in the main Hawaiian islands fed predominantly on Rsapterus regardless of their level of ciguatoxicity. For small amberjack, Recap - teru again predominated in the diet with these exceptions: those determined as being ciguatoxic and those caught in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These two groups, plus the l arge nonciguatoxic amberjack of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands fed more on bottom-associate d fauna than all other groups studied. A series of hypotheses were generated from these results to explain the observed dietary differences. ..