THE CARIBBEAN AREA — VENEZUEU 



not appear in the landing records. Venezuelan waters offer an attractive field for the 

 taxoncmist for there are many species yet to be classified. 



The names applied to Venezuelan fish by the local fishermen follow quite well those 

 used in other Latin-American countries, but there are many names used only in Venezuela. 

 Until intensive study is made to clarify the taxonomy of Venezuelan fishes and to determine 

 the vernacular name for each of them, this information must remain fragmentary and, doubt- 

 less, in some cases, inaccurate. The local names now in use are based on resemblances to 

 Spanish or Mediterranean species. In some instances the names are of Indian origin. Often- 

 times, the name of a single species varies according to the locality. In other cases, one 

 name will be used to designate a number of closely- related forms. 



The following list was compiled by interviews with fishermen and with the assistance 

 of the Servicio de Pesqueria of the Venezuelan Government: (Scientific names are given in 

 the General Report — pages 1^ to 17 , ) 



PRESENT FISHERT INDUSTRIES 



The fishery resources of Venezuela have played a continuously important part in the 

 life of her populations. The early Spanish settlers found fish to be abundant and good. 

 Their early settlements were placed on the water's edge where fish was always readily 

 available. The settlers along some of the country's more barren coastline were forced to 

 rely on fish for most of their food supply when supplies from the mother country ran low. 

 Parts of the 1,750 miles of seacoast "teemed" with fish during certain seasons and plentiful 

 supplies vrere available in the rivers and lakes. The pearl fisheries of Isla Margarita were 

 established in early colonial days. No doubt, adaptations of Etoope's fishing gear were 

 transferred to the New World to aid the colonists. Indian fishing methods were also adopted. 



In this part of the world where shelter from rain was the only prime requisite of a 

 habitation, the poor man could live off the sea vdth little capital and little manual effort. 

 Thus thousands of people have lived and are living. The Venezuelan llinistry of Development 

 (Fomento) stated in its 1939 report that about 20 percent of the population of Venezuela 

 (or 750,000 people) lives from the fish in the sea, rivers, and lakes. These people are 

 poor of means and live simply, eating fish and some vegetables and grains. 



lluch of the desire for fish among the colonizing people was gained in E^irope, mainly 

 in Spain and France, where they were fishermen or had grown accustomed to eating the fresh 

 £ind salt products of European waters. Many of these people chose fishing as their occupation 

 when they reached the new land. Coastal Indians, already established on a subsistence 

 economy, have continued to rely on fish as an important food. Many poor or destitute people, 

 some of them from families of liberated slaves, found the simple life of a fisherman to their 

 liking. Fishing developed in Venezuela as the poor man's profession and as such it exists 

 yet today. 



Production 



The bulk of fishing activity in Venezuela is concentrated at a number of points. The 

 major areas are the Lake Maracaibo area, the Paraguana area, the La Guaira area, the 

 Tacarigua and Unare Lagoon area, and the Gariaco, Isla Margarita, and Carupano area. 



The catch of fish for commerce in Venezuela is estimated at about 100 million pounds. 

 Official sources in Venezuela recorded a production of 7,681,000 kilograms of fresh fish and 

 6,2^,000 kilograms of salt fish in 19^0. To estimate the total catch, figures were con- 

 verted to pounds, the salt fish to fresh fish in the round, and 4-0 percent added to cover 

 catch not recorded. It was stated locally that the recorded figures did not represent more 

 than 50 percent of the actual catch. The figure of 100 million pounds is, therefore, a 

 conservative estimate. 



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