THE CARIBBEAI^! AREA 



INTRODUCTION 



A general inventory of the natural resources of the Americas is being made to further 

 economic and social cooperation eunong the nations of the Western Hemisphere. Increasing 

 interest in the utilization of the aquatic resources of the New World is manifested by many 

 of our neighbors to the south. This interest has led, in many instances, to requests from 

 these coxintries for technical assistance and advice in surveying and evaliiating tbeir fish 

 resources, with the view toward expanding fishery industries on sound lines. In attempting 

 to assist in this work, the Fish and Wildlife Service found that little factual information 

 regarding the fisheries and fishery resources of Latin America was available, 



With the coming of War, the acquisition of such data became more urgent, for it was 

 soon evident tliat local production of foodstuffs was of great necessity — particularly in 

 the Caribbean area. Thus, it was considered essential that a rapid, fact-finding survey of 

 the Caribbean fisheries and fishery resources should be made to determine where possibilities 

 for increased production of fishery products existed. 



Funds for this purpose were transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of tl-ie United 

 States Department of the Interior by the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs 

 in the early part of 19^+2. The Caribbean Governments were approached by the United States 

 Department of State prior to the survey, and each expressed interest and offered cooperation 

 in assisting the Uission to the fullest extent. 



The Mission was headed by Reginald H. Fiedler, Chief of the Division of Fishery Indust- 

 ries of the Fish and Wildlife Service. He was assisted by Milton J. Lobell, Fishery Engineer, 

 and Clarence R. Lucas, Fishery Economist. 



The field survey was comnenced on April 24, 1942 at St. Johns, Antigua, in the British 

 West Indies and was terminated in Puerto Rico on October 28, 1942 — a total peiuod of about 

 seven months. By feir, the greatest distance, about 25,000 miles, was covered by air travel. 

 The remainder, about 5,000 miles, was accomplished in schooners, sloops, trains, gas-cars, 

 automobiles, dugout canoes, oxcarts, aujd on horseback. Every capital city was visited, and 

 field surveys of the actual fishing areas were made in practically every country. Hundreds 

 of government officials, storekeepers, fishermen, and other interested persons were inters 

 viewed. Files of the various Governments relating to fisheries and economic conditions 

 were made available. 



Original 1 y, plans were made to survey only the Latin-American Republics in the Caribbeai 

 area. However, because of emergency war conditions and at the request of the Anglo-American 

 Caribbean Coi;imission, the British Colonies in the Caribbean were included. 



No survey work was conducted by the Mission in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands since 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Insular Government of Puerto Rico maintain a research 

 staff at Mayaguez, P. R. which is engaged in carrying on a long-range fisheries program. 

 Information an the fisheries and fishery resources of these areas are contained in reports of 

 the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries as indicated in the bibliography of this report. 



The Fish and Wildlife Service in a cooperative program with the Goverrunent of Mexico is 

 studying the fisheries of Mexico. Therefore, the Mission did not undertake to conduct a sur- 

 vey in this country, except that seme consideration was given to the Yucatan' Peninsula, 



In Central America, it was found that the Pacific Coast was the most favorable for the 

 establishment of fishery industries. For this reason, the Pacific coasts of the Central- 

 American Republics were included, even though they did not fall strictly within the scope 

 of the survey. 



On account of transportation difficulties occasioned by the War, a number of smaller 

 islands were not visited, although it would have been advisable to do so. Within this cate- 

 gory are the Caymans, Pro videncia, Curacao, Barbuda, Saba, and others. 



