THE VENEZUELAN SALT-FISH INDUSTRIES 



Location Months of Abundance 



Gulf of Cariaco January to August 



La Lecheria January to June 



Unare Lagoon April to July (Isbranche) 



Boca del Rio January to August 



Paraguana (west coast) August to October (carite) 



Paraguana (west. coast) January to May (lebranche) 



Lake Maracaibo January to April ( curbine) 



SALT 



All salt usBd in the Venezuelan fisheries is manufactured by solar evaporation. The 

 "Salinas" range from the modern installation at Araya to other very rudimentary establish- 

 ments at Piritu and at other places. In common with many other countries, salt is a Govern- 

 ment monopoly in Venezuela and its collection and sale is controlled. All salt require- 

 ments for Venezuela for the year 1943 amounted to 23,000 tons. It is estimated that the 

 production at Araya alone could be increased to 80,000 tons if need arises. With the Vene- 

 zuelan Government's interest in furthering the development of local T.ndustry, special prices 

 for salt are made to industrial users. Fishermen are able to buy, at Araya, a 50-kilo sack 

 of salt for Bs 3.50. At other points, the prices are higher due to freight charges, profit 

 by middlemen, and handling. The Ministerio de Agricultura y Cria is establishing Salt de- 

 pots throughout the fish-producing areas in order that salt may be supplied to the fisher- 

 men at reasonable prices. 



The chemical analysis obtained from Venezuelan sources, of salt from Salina Araya, 

 is as follows: 



Item Washed (purified) Unwashed (not purified) 



(percent) (percent) 



Insoluble matter 0,15 0.40 



Water 0,74 "L«42 



Calcium sulnhate (Ca SO/^) 0.53 0,80 



Magnesium sulphate (Mg SO4) 0,08 0,20 



Magnesium chloride (Mg CI2) 0.10 0.43 



Sodium chloride (Na CI) 98.37 96.69 



99,97 99,94 



Salt as now produced at the Araya works is only partially purified by washing. This 

 is a temporary condition caused by mechanical failures In the purifying machinery. Steps 

 are being taken to repair the machinery. 



A sample of Araya salt was recently referred to the Technological Laboratory of the 

 Fish and Wildlife Service at College Park, Maryland, for chemical analysis. The results 

 of the analysis are as follows: 



Item Percent by Weight 



Moisture , 2,07 



H2O insoluble matter 



(mostly sand) 0,74 



Calcium 0.62 



Magnesium 0.27 



Sulfate 1 . 57 



Calciiim sulfate (Ca SO4) 2,10 



Magnesium sulfate (Mg SO4) . . . 0.10 



Magnesium chloride (Mg CI2) . . 0.98 



Salt (Na CI) 96.10 



Results of this analysis indicate that the salt now being manufactured at Araya, as 

 compared to that previously manufactured, is not as pure. As will be noted by comparison 



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