■fflE CARIBBEAN AREA — NICARAGUA 



POTENTIAL nSHERT INDUSTRIES 



Possibilities to enlarge commerce in native food fishes within Nicaragua are restricted 

 by the low purchasing power of the population, low food prices in general, abundance of meat, 

 poor transportation facilities, and absence of fish-handling and mariceting facilities. 

 Until soaie of these factors have been altered, the opportunities for extensive maiketing of 

 fresh fish will be severely limited. 



Opportunities for the expansion of fisheries depend very largely on the existence of 

 fishery resources of magnitude in Nicaraguan waters. The potentialities of the area are 

 not positively known, but they are such that they justify further consideration if the people 

 of the area desire increased industry, income, and improvement of diet. Marketing facilities 

 tiiroughout the country are suitable for distribution of salt and canned products and could 

 be altered to handle large quantity of fresh or frozen fish. 



The possibilities for enlariging the fishery industries of Nicaragua are as follows: 



Production 



(a) Greater fishing activity on present species in present 

 fishing areas. 



(b) Fishing for unused species in present fishing areas by using 

 old or new techniques. 



(c) Exploration and development of new fishing areas by old or 

 new techniques. 



Nicaragua on its coasts and offshore offers excellent potentialities for any one or 

 all of these. 



Processing 



(a) Greater use of present facilities and techniques. 



(b) Introduction or new or expansion of old facilities and 



techniques. 



Nicaragua lacks adequate facilities but there is justification for establishing them 

 and for development of new techniques. 



Marketing 



(a) Expansion of presait markets* 



(b) Development of new maricets in the Republic, 



(c) Development of export maiicets. 



There are potentialities in large-volume sale of low-priced fishery products and limited 

 sale of medium-priced products in Nicaragua. Handling and marketing facilities would be need- 

 ed for this trade in addition to necessary producting and processing facilities. Neighboring 

 republics could be supplied with some fisherj'' items, 



Cn the Caribbean coast, opportunities exist in the greater \i8e of the reef and bank fishes 

 such as groupers and snappers, as well as the inshore fishes such as mullet and snook. With 

 increased catches and better irarkets, both domestic and foreign, it would be necesssu^'^ to pro- 

 vide processing equipment — freezers, canneries, or salteries. Spiny lobsters, either frozen 

 or canned, would provide an exportable article. Under wartime conditions, it may be quite 

 ir^jossible to accomplish anything because of difficulties in obtaining equipment, but in normal 

 times great possibilities exist. 



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