THE CARIBBEWi AREA — COSTA RICA 



built across the channel of an estiiary to trap fish which can be removed at low tide. 



Fish pots or "nasas" are used to a limited extent and almost entirely on the Caribbean 

 coast. On this coast, also, the Indians are reported to use spears and harpoons in taking 

 the larger kinds of fish. 



The modern tuna-fishing vessels employ the standard live-bait fishing technique wherein 

 the tuna are attracted by small bait-fish ladled overboard, and caught on barbless feather 

 "squids" attached to a short line fastened to bamboo poles. Bait is seined along shore by 

 means of small seines or lampara nets. The shark- fishing boats utilize chain, line trawls 

 equipped with large shark hooks. Bait for these is obtained by harpooning porpoises. 



The capture of turtles has been an important fishery for a number of years. Hawksbill 

 and other species come ashore on the beaches not far from Port Ldmon and are captured and 

 brought to the "kraals" or pounds in Port Limon for holding. In normal times relatively 

 large numbers were shipped to the United States and some to Panama and Colombia, The 

 hawksbill shell fromed a considerable item of commerce at one time for it was sold at good 

 prices in Europe. This shell was used in the manufacture of jewelry and toilet articles. 

 Cayman islanders participated in this fishery, visiting the outer cays. The best turtle - 

 season is reported from April to August, 



Canning and Preserving 



With the exception of a very limited local activity in air-drying surplus catches, 

 the ohly preserving industry Is that at Puntarenas. Here there is a small tuna cannery of 

 the California type, equipped with good machinery of modern manufacture. This cannery is 

 operated in conjunction with the freezing plant. A good pack of canned tuna is prepared 

 and is sold in Costa Rican markets. The capacity is not large, probably about 8 to 10,000 

 cases per year when conditions are favorable for its operation. 



The freezing plant is one of the largest in Central America. It first operated as a 

 service to California tuna fishermen and froze anH handled tuna for export. Now it is 

 leased to a large California tuna-canning company and handles the catch of company- leased 

 boats . 



The physical structure of the freezer is modem and well planned and constructed of 

 corrugated galvanized sheet steel and concrete. Electric power and ample water are avail- 

 able. There are 3 ammonia compressers of 10" by 10" size giving a 3^rge refrigeration 

 capacity. There is storage space for 850 tons of ice and for ^^50 tons of frozen tuna. 

 Temperatures are maintained at -5 degrees F. in the ice-storage rocns and -20 degrees F. in 

 the sharp-freezing rocm. The plant. is located on a sandy strip of beach facing the Gulf of 

 Nicoya. About 500 yards to the rear of the plant is a channel, the Estero, where an un- 

 loading dock is located. Fish are unloaded here into flat cars which run on rails, or into 

 trucks for carrying to the freezer. 



The plant was started in 1936 with United States capital and the machinery, also of 

 United States origin, was installed by technicians from the United States. 'Whilfi the plant 

 has had many vicissitudes, it appears that these have not been caused by any failure of the 

 plant equipment. Operated properly, this installation can perfonn a much-needed ard valuable 

 service to the tuna canning and producing industry. 



Potential Fishery Industries 



TVhilB there are probably considerable imused fishery resources on the Caribbean coast 

 of Costa Rica, those of the Pacific coast are greater and more avsiilable. Weather conditions 

 and lack of good harbors offer considerable difficulty toward procecuting extensive fishery 

 industries on the Caribbean coast. With the exception of very limited local fishery oper- 

 ations and the activities of the large ttma fishing vessels, the fish resources of the Pacific 

 coast are unused. That there are tremencjous possibilities both for shore fishing and for off- 



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