THE FISHERIES AND FISHERY RESOURCES OF COLOMBIA 



INTRODUCTION 



The fisheries and fishery resources of Colombia were studied as a part of a survey 

 of the entire Caribbean area made by a Mission of the United States Government under a 

 cooperative arrangement between the United States Department of the Interior, Fish and 

 Wildlife Service and the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affadrs. The ilission 

 was under the direction of Reginald H. Fiedler, Chief of the Division of Fishery Industries, 

 Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Department of the Interior and the field party in 

 Colombia consisted of Hilton J. Lobell, Fishery Engineer and Clarence R. Lucas, Fishery 

 Economist of the Service. 



Although Colombia possesses an extensive coastline along the Pacific the Mission 

 visited only the fishing localities on the Caribbean side. 



FISH RESOURCES 



Con?)aratively little is known of the distribution and abundance of the fishes of the 

 Caribbean coast of Colombia and there is practically no information on the oceanographic 

 and ecological factors which affect fish life in Colombian coastal waters. Because of 

 this, it is necessary to piece together such information as can be found and interpret it 

 in the light of experience in other sections of the Caribbean. Therefore, the following 

 sections must be regarded as having certain limitations as to exact details. 



Oceaunography and Ecology 



The Caribbean coast of Colombia extends for approximately 6/VO miles in a southwest 

 direction from the Venezuelan border to the Panamanian border. There are few islands or 

 banks to be found offshore and there is a relatively small amount of bottom within the 

 100- fathom curve. Frcrn the Venezuelan frontier on the southeast side of the Goajira 

 Peninsula to Santa Marta the only inhabitants are the Indians and occasional fishermen. 

 With the exception of the tovm of Riohacha and several very small villages, there are no 

 centers of population. The coastline is quite regular and is indented by the Bahia Honda, 

 by El Portete, by Laguna Grande and by a series of small coves — Los An cones. The aitire 

 coastline is quite barren — sandy beaches are interspersed with rocky cliffs and low man- 

 grove swanps. 



From. Santa Marta to Punta San Bernardo, the dominant feature is the Magdalena River 

 with its great network of channels and cienagas. In this section are the three major 

 coastal cities, Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Santa Marta. The lOO-fathom curve ranges 

 from five to 30 miles offshore and there are a large number of small cays, islands, and 

 banks inside the lOO-fathom curve. Most of the bottom is sand or mund and coral structures 

 are much in evidence. Around the cienagas are dense mangrove swamps. Of these the Cienaga 

 Grande de S^nta Marta is the largest. It connects through channels to the Magdalena and 

 also to the Caribbean below Santa Marta. From Punta San Bemarxio to the frontier with 

 Panama there are few population centers and little is known of the fishery activities of 

 the people inhabiting the regicn. Here, as in the preceding section, are a number of 

 cienagas and bays. Among them are the Golfo de Morrosquiilo and the Golfo del Darien, 

 Into each of these gulfs flows a large river — into the first, the Rio Sinuj and into the 

 second, the Rio Atrato, one of the largest in Colombia. 



With three large rivers flowing into the sea and with extensive lagoons and side 

 channels, it is not surprising that species Tdth brackish water tolerance are abundant on 

 the immediate coast from Santa Marta to the Panamanian border. These species include the 

 tarpon, snodc, mullet, various catfish, shrimp, and oysters. From Santa Marta eastward to 

 Goajira, the type of fish taken changes somewhat and in this region some of the migratory 

 species such as tuna, and bonito appear. 



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