THE CAUBBEAl'.' ARrA 



far as Barbados or beyond. The current then continues off the coast of Venezuela and almost 

 the entire Venezuelan sea area is productive, particularly around the offshore islands. 



By the time the cuiTent has reached the centraJ. and western Caribbean, its nutrients 

 have become dissipated and, lacking further renewal, its productivity is low. None of the 

 other Caribbean cuiTents is of T,he type which can carry nutrient ssilts in appreciable 

 quantities since they originate and flow through relatively barren areas. 



There is, as yet, no findings to indicate the pi'esence of other means in the Caribbean 

 of supply ijig nutrients to the surface waters. It is doubtful that upwelling of any extent 

 will be found, lor the T/ind conditions, the bottom configuration, and the direction of the 

 currents are all more or less unfavorable. As far as has been determined, there is a per- 

 manent thennocline, and this militates against annual overturns of water layers tending to 

 supply available nutrients. Regeneration of nitrates and phosphates does occur and has 

 been suggested as a reaison for the higher concentration of these salts in the Caribbean as 

 Compared to adjacent waters elsewhere. It is indeed unfortunate that the oceanographic 

 expeditions studying the Caribbean have never included the extreme southeast comer, for 

 this is the area that holds the key to the productivity of much of the southern Caribbean. 



Shallow-water Areas : — Most of the great fisheries of the world and almost all of the 

 fisheries of the Caribbean area are conducted at depths of less than 100 fathoms. The area 

 within the 100-iathom curve is usually considered the most productive in fish and organisms 

 on wiiich fish feed. The Caribbean is notably deficient in extensive areas of less thaui 100- 

 fathoms depth. From eastern Ciiaa around to Trinidad, such areas are practically confined to 

 narrow coastal belts and to small bank areas — the largest of these being the Virgin Island 

 Bank, with the Anguilla Bank, Saba Bank, and the Barbuda and Antigua Bank areas being smaller. 

 These banks are all steei>-to and of coral formation, usually with reefs and coral heads. 



From Trinidad and Tobsigo westward almost to La Guaira, Venezuela, the 100-fathom curve 

 is found at a considerable distance off. At the latter point, however, it comes close in- 

 shore, until the Peninsula of Paraguana is reached. The area between the Paraguana and 

 Goajira Peninsulas and including the Gulf of Venezuela is all within the 100-fathom line. 

 Passing westward along the coasts of Colombia, Panama, aind Costa Rica, the 100-fathom line 

 is found rather close inshore — usually about 10 to 15 miles off. These are no offshore banks. 



From Nicaragua northward, there is a great, shallow-water area about 300 miles long and 

 80 to 85 miles wide. It abounds with reefs, cays, and small islands — all of coral origin. 

 Lying to the eastward aire a number of more or less separate bank areas. Included are 

 Roncador, Serrana, Quita Sueno, Rosalind, Serranilla, and a few others of much smaller size. 

 The coasts of Honduras and British Honduras are lined with reefs, cays, and islands, with 

 some extensive banks in British Honduras, but the 100-fathom curve is not more than 15 to 

 20 miles off. A few small isles, banks, and knolls are found far offshore, Cuba has a 

 large area of shallow water on the southwest and southcentral coasts. Jamaica has a fair 

 amount on the south coast plus the extensive Pedro Bank to the southward, and the much 

 smaller Morant, Albatross, and Formigas Banks on the east side.. While the central part of 

 the CaxT-bbeaji Sea is all deep water, it is calculated that 10 to 12 percent of the entire 

 area or 80,000 to 96,000 square nautical miles is vdthin the 100-fathom curve. 



Winds and Weather ; — Ttie dominant feature in the winds of the Caribbean area are the 

 northeast trades. Northerly winds sometimes affect the westernmost part during the winter 

 months. Tropical cyclones or storms visit all out the extreme southern part and are most 

 frequent in September and October. 



The equatorial belt of calms lies further northward in summer than in winter and inter- 

 rupts the trade winds in the extreme southern part of the Caribbean during the months of 

 June to October, 



Along the coasts, there are local wind conditions usually appearing as land- and sea- 

 breeze effects. During the rainy season, westerly winds are frequent from Colombia to 

 Nicaragua. In general, the wind velocities are higher during the dry season than in the 

 rainy season. 



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