THE CARIBBEAN AREA — VENEZUELA 



According to the catch statistics for 19^0, published by the Servicio de Pesqueria, 

 the carite is the most important species with 1,638,90/+ kilos sold as fresh fish and 

 1,189,150 kilos sold dry salted. The second fish in importance in the fresh-fish trade is 

 the pargo with 935,334- kilos reported, and second in the salt-fish group is the liza with 

 647,614^9 kilos. In descending order in the fresh-fish group follow the corocoro with 

 776, 4^i kilos, the arenque with 362,080 kilos and the anchoa Td.th 32^,404 kilos. In the 

 salt-fish classification in descending order are the anchoa with 591,867 kilos, the jurel 

 with 480,900 kilos, the oirbina with 388,724. kilos, and the cazones with 383,361 kilos. 



The Cariaco, Isla Margarita, Carupano area produces the largest and most diversified 

 group of fishery products. According to the 1940 statistics of the Servicio de Pesqueria, 

 5,556,622 kilos or 12,224,568 pounds of fresh fish and 4,386,618 kilos or 9,650,560 pounds 

 of salted and dried fish are handled in this regiwi. In addition, canneries are engaged 

 in processing a nunber of species. The yield of the pearl fishing industry has always 

 been large in the export trade. Within recent years, shark fishing for livers, hides, 

 teeth, and flesh have been greatly stimulated by export demands. 



Distribution 



With the bulk of Venezuela's population living on or near the coast, the establishment 

 of a fresh-fish commerce of considerable proportions was a natural development. Along the 

 1,750-mile seacoast, however, distances have often been so great as to make it very difficult 

 to transport fish in fresh condition from ai'eas of abundance to the centers of population. 

 Thus, La Guaira and Caracas, in the comparatively barren center of the north coast, are not 

 satisfactorily supplied with fresh fish. Maracaibo and the towns on Isla Margarita, however, 

 are well supplied from nearby fishing grounds. Many other coastal tovms are supplied by 

 local fishermen. 



Iced and salted fish are trainsported to population centers by sailboat, motorboat, 

 truck, or train as conditions and facilities permit. Negligible cold storage and very limited 

 ice-making facilities are available. Popnilation centers not directly on the coast, even if 

 only a few miles inland, receive unreliable and meager supplies of fresh fish. Dry-salted and 

 canned fish are supplied in abundance to interior markets, even through the country areas. 



Trade in fish is usually carried on over regualr channels of transportation with few 

 facilities being constructed especially for fish. Coastwise steamers and sailboats, trains, 

 and trucks bring products to the consuming centers. There they are customarily sold in stalls 

 in public irarkets. Much is sold also by havricers, particularly in coastal towns. Only a few 

 private retail stores handle fresh fish. 



Fishermen 



As indicated previously, about 20 percent of the population of Venezuela obtains its 

 livelihood from fishing in the sea, in the rivers, and in the lakes. In 1936, the Ministerio 

 de Hacienda reported that there were about 6,425 fishermen engaged in commercial fishing in 

 boats over one ton gross. This is regarded as a very low figure and the Mission estimated that 

 at least 20,000 commercial fishermen were engaged in the Venezuelan fisheries in 1942. In 

 addititai, there should be added the not inconsiderable numbers of part time fishermen and others 

 ■who operate only on a semi-conmercieil or subsistence scale. 



Most of the fishermen of Venezuela live on the coast. It can truly be said that they are 

 "peasants of the sea", for little else offers itself in this region as a means of livelihood. 

 The ma,iority of them are descended from Spanish stock and the background of their activities 

 goes back to Colonial days. 



Almost all of the fishermen live in a primitive manner, close to the sea. Their food 

 consists of fish, eked out at times with vegetables and cereals. Their homes are usually 



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