THE VENEZUELAN SALT-FISH INDUSTRIES 



As a final step^ all figures have been converted to weight as landed fresh in the round 

 state. To accomplish this, salt-fish totals are multiplied by four and added to fresh- 

 fish totals. Table 9 shows the contributions, in percentages, made by each selected group 

 of salt and fresh fish to the total production as landed. 



Table 9 - Contribution of the Five Most Important Salt and Fresh Varieties to Total Land- 

 ings of All Fish, As Landed in the Round, By Zones, 19U2, (in kilos: 2.2 



pounds) 



lAJeight as round, fresh-fish as landed. Salt-fish wei^t multiplied by 4. 

 2/Arenque and sardina. 



FISHING CRAFT 



Practically every craft used for fishing in Venezuela is constructed locally. Vessels 

 of foreign origin have been introduced from time to time but "are not in general use in actual 

 fishing operations since they are of specialized types designed to operate rather complicated 

 gear generally unsuited to Venezuelan conditions. When their use has proven uneconomic 

 for fishing they are sold to be used for conmercial freighting or as cannery~tenders. 



With the recent inmigration of Old World fishermen to Venezuela, a number of motorized 

 vessels of southern European types have been constructed in Venezuelan yards, Hull designs 

 and construction details represent an absolutely novel development in Venezuelan boat build- 

 ing. None of these craft have remained in operation »dth the exception of the Nueva Esparta 

 which is used by the Venezuelan Government as a patrol vessel for the pearling industry. 

 Such vessels have been found to be practically unusable for Venezuelan fishing conditions 

 and their design and construction not as good as that of craft built along traditional lines 

 by Venezuelan builders. 



During the past few years, with the development of canneries, interest has developed 

 in the construction of fishing vessels patterned after North American types — principally 

 small purse-seiner or shrimpdragger designs. As a result of this trend, several boats have 

 been built or are being built and much interest has been expressed in this activity with 

 a view toward replacing present fishing craft with more modern and more efficient types. 



The traditional types of fishing boats now used in Venezuela are well built and suita- 

 bly adapted for the particular type of activity in which they are engaged. Since the abun- 

 dance of coastal species of fish is great there has been no need or desire to construct 

 large boats for fishing. Large schooners, however, can be built and have been built for 

 years for coastwise and Caribbean commerce. If larger and more modern types of fishing 

 craft are needed they can be built in Venezuela. 



Ail Venezuelan fishing boats are of wooden construction. Formerly, native woods were 

 used for the ribs and keel, and the lumber for the planking was imported. Now, native woods 

 of Excellent type are being used for the planking also. Natural bend woods are used ex- 

 clusively rather than steam-bent woods for ribs, stems and sterns. Fittings, bolts, nails, 

 and other metal parts are imported. Labor is almost all hand work and many boat builders 

 show a high degree of skill. Costs of construction are not high. A 50-foot wooden hull 

 built in Porlamar, Isla Margarita, along the lines of a purse-seiner was reported to cost 



10 



