THE VENEZUELAN SALT-FISH INDUSTRIES 



schedules and most often by direct routes to and from distant points without making in- 

 termediate stops. Fish shipments to other Caribbean countries must rely on local schooners 

 or on fortuitous connections with other types of vessels. 



An air freight service which reaches many interior points in Venezuela recently has 

 been established and possibly may be extended to nearby foreign countries. No tariffs are 

 available for fish shipments by this means, but it is possible that certain classes of fish- 

 ery products could be carried. 



PORTS 



While Venezuela has many excellent harbors , comparatively few have been developed as 

 ports equipped with docks, warehouses, and other facilities. At most points cargo must 

 be lightered — sometimes to a small wharf and sometimes through the surf to the beach. This 

 procedure adds markedly to the costs of handling and transportation. 



First-class ports may be listed as Caripito, Puerto de la Cruz, La Guaira, Puerto Ca- 

 bello. Las Piedras, and Maracaibo. Of these, Caripito, Puerto de la Cruz, and Las Piedras 

 are used silmost exclusively as oil ports. They are equipped with wharves, warehouses, and 

 other facilities and might be used for shipping fish. 



Second-class ports which would be usable for fish handling are Ciudad Bolivar, Cumana, 

 Araya (salt port), Guanta, Turiamo, and Tucacas. Ports which could possibly be utilized 

 in this connection, but which have few if any facilities would be Cristobal Colon, Guiria, 

 Carupano, Pampatar, Porlamar, Juan Orlego, Piritu, Carlnero, and La Vela. 



Many other places exist where small wharves could be installed or where fish could 

 be lightered to larger vessels anchored in the roadstead. Some of these are Rio Caribe, 

 Chacopata, Guaca, Puerto Santo, Coche (San Pedro), Boca del Rio, Chichirivichl, Punta Car- 

 don, and Los Taques. 



Ports of a suitable type are available in the large fish-producing centers. Thus, 

 Cumana is regarded as the best port for the Eastern Zone, Puerto Cabello or La Guaira for 

 the Central Zone, and Maracaibo for the Western Zone. 



WAREHOUSING 



Few facilities are to be found in Venezuela for warehousing fishery products. Salt- 

 fish usually is stored in small buildings o*med by the dealers or at the rancherias. Canned 

 fish is stored in the canneries. No warehouses are designed or utilized exclusively for 

 fishery products. 



Few cold-storage plants of consequence are available for fish handling on the coast 

 aiid little if any fish is stored in those that are available, 



REFRIGERATION AND ICE-MAKING 



Small quantities of ice are manufactured at many points along the coast, but the local 

 demand for domestic purposes utilizes almost all of the production. Prices for ice are 

 high, ranging from Bs 50 to 70 per ton (2,200 pounds) and the ice is not of first-class 

 quality. Most of the ice plants are operated in conjunction with other activities such as 

 local power plants, brevreries, fish-canning plants, or ice-cream factories. There are now 

 no plants operated exclusively for the fishing industry. Most of the plants are small; 

 few, if any exceeding a capacity of 10 to 15 tons per day and the majority have a lower out- 

 put , 



While cold-storage facilities are available for fish storage at so-ne points such as at 

 Maracaibo, Porlamar and Caracas, they are not utilized to any great extent, since the local 

 demand usually absorbs most of the daily supplies of fishery products. 



There is, however, considerable refrigeration machinery now unused in the country which 



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