four weeks of experimental fishing off the Island.

Although she has hauled in a fair supply of swordfish and albacore tuna, the prime species targeted by the ship -- big-eye and blue-fin tuna -- have proved elusive.

About a ton of albacore tuna and swordfish, caught during the vessel's last two trips, have been flown out of the Island. Only one big-eye tuna, weighing in at 100 pounds, fell for the Anna C's hooks.

The Florida-registered ship, leased by the UK firm Ignis Foods, has been given special permission to fish within the Island's 200-mile exclusion zone for up to six months to determine whether long-line fishing could be a viable industry for Bermudians.

The industry would target species which are not normally caught locally and be aimed at new, overseas markets.

The oily, dark-meat fish the Anna C is seeking bring premium prices in Japan, where they are used in sushi dishes.

The vessel's first trip out of Bermuda netted some 1.5 tons of swordfish and albacore tuna, but with a capacity for 30 tons, the haul was considered "small fry'' by the ship's crew.

Under the agreement struck with local authorities, none of the ship's catch can be sold locally.

"They're not finding what they expected,'' said Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Parks director Mr. John Barnes. "But they're doing exploratory work, so if you don't really know what's out there, you don't know what you're going to find.'' Mr. Barnes said after a few more trips, the Department would be able to start consolidating data which would help determine long-line fishing's future in the Island.

"You need a lot of data, and when you don't catch much in the way of fish, then you're not getting any information,'' he said.

But Mr. Barnes added that the Anna C's prime quarry might be even farther offshore than originally thought. "They may well find fish, but it may not be within our 200 miles,'' he said.

Bermuda is an ideal departure point for long-line fishing vessels, which are equipped to work up to 400 miles offshore. Any further out would make it difficult for the ship to return the catch to port in prime condition.

Being based on the Island gives the Anna C the option to either fish towards the US coastline or go further out into the Atlantic where they wouldn't normally be able to fish.