THE CARIEBEARK AREA ~ VENEZUELA 



electric cable wire. A large piece of vrood was placed 2 feet from the large shark hook. 

 The hook was connected to the wood by means of heavy wire. It was said that the wood 

 lodged in tlie shark's mouth and thus guarded the cable from breakage. Significant numbers 

 of sawfish are taken by spears and harpoons, 



IIo other kinds of gear are now in use in the Lake. 



Paraguana ; — Small chinchorros are in use in this region. In fishing, one end is held 

 on shore and the other perpendicular to the shore some distance out. When fish approach 

 within range, the offshore end is circled to shore and the net hauled in. 



Handlines are fished for bottom species by the fisheiroen of Cutuora and La Vela. A 

 few fish pots are in use, and the National Government has distributed chicken wire to 

 encourage the poor fisherman. Other types of fishing are not carried on. Because of poor 

 demand, there has been no incentive to use more efficient types of gear even though there 

 is a great abundance of fish. 



There has been no estimate of the amount of gear but reports (193*5) state that 100 boats 

 and 663 fishermen are employed. 



Central Zone ; — In the Central Zone, including Puerto Cabello and La Guaira, hooks and 

 lines, both for trolling and bottom fishing, and fish pots are in general use. Few, if any, 

 nets are in use by the fishermen of Puerto Cabello and La Guaira, for the type of shoreline 

 does not lend itself to this sort of fishing. The use of modem otter trawls has been 

 attempted on several occasions but so far the results have been poor. In the lagoons of 

 Tacarigua and Unare, net fishing again becomes predominant and great quantities of fish are 

 taken by chinchorros. 



Eastern Zone ; — The greatest industrialization of the fisheries has taken place in this 

 area and, as can be expected, the greatest use of diversified types of gear. In spite of 

 experimentation and the attenpted introduction of modern tj-pes of fishing gear, their wide- 

 spread adoption has not occurred. The probable reason is that the present means of pro- 

 duction are adequate to meet the present demand. There has been no legitimate reason, so 

 far, for the introduction of more complicated and expensive production methods, for labor 

 is cheap and abxmdant, and the fish are easily caught in large numbers. It can be assumed 

 that when the more simple means of production fail to supply the demand, more efficient 

 types of gear and boats will make their appearance. These new units may fish on the same 

 population of fish or they may utilize stocks of fish now unused. 



The chief type of net used is the chjjichorro. According to the size of the mesh, they 

 may take ai^nque, carite, jureles, or anchoa. Chinchorros are hand-^nade of imported twine. 

 Cotton twine from the United States is known as "guaral" and is now being used very extensive- 

 ly, although linen is favored and Italian hengs is used also. No net presei-vatives of any 

 kind are employed and the nets are dried in the hot sun. Fishermen here claim that preserva- 

 tives burn the netting. The corks or floats are made of corcha, a wood akin to balsa, and 

 the leads or sinkers are cut from sheet lead. Ropes are usiially made locally by hand from 

 native fibers and it is clsimed that this product is excellent when wet, but stiff and hard 

 when dry. The nets average from 30 to 60 fathoms in length but larger ones are used. The 

 depth of the seines is from 3 to 4 fathoms. Fifteen to twenty men are eiiployed in setting 

 and hauling the net. The men are paid ir. shares, with the owner of the net agreeing 

 beforehand to the size of the share. 



As at Llaracaibo, the fishing unit is the tren. The trenes here, however, are much 

 larger than those of Uaracaibo since they include 30 nets and 6 to 7 boats each; Some of 

 the larger boats are equipped with motors. It is reported that there are 300 trenes of 

 nets operating in the Gulf of Cariaco. If this is true, there are about 9,000 nets, 180 to 

 360 feet in length each, in the Giilf of Cariaco alone. At Carupano, there are 4. trenes of 

 nets — each 1,350 feet in length and 30 feet deep. Chinchorros are used to a great extent 

 on Isla llargarita and they are of the same construction and type as above. No estimate has 

 been made of the number in use. 



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