THE CARIEBEAM AHE/L — HONDURAS 



Boats 



There are no statistical data covering the number and types of craft used in the 

 fisheries of Honduras, but it is estimated that some 100 craft are en^loyed. For inshore 

 fishing in lagoons and estuaries, dugout canoes are the predominant type. Small rowboats 

 and a few small sailboats find use, also. As far as is known, there are no motozdzed boats 

 in use for fishing in Honduras. Medium-sized sailing craft are used by the Cayman Islanders 

 for turtle fishing and transporting. These vessels are built on the Cayman Islands and are 

 well built and seaworthy. Many are equipped with live wells and a few with auxiliary power. 



Fishing Gear 



Fishing apparatus is of the sia^lest types. Castnets are in use on both coasts. Beach 

 seines are used to some extent, particularly on the Pacific side. Only a few fish pots are 

 used. Harpoons and spears are titilized by the Indians in the eastern part of the Caribbean 

 coast. Hocic and line gear is used extensively both for bank fishing and, to a lesser extent, 

 in trolling. There is no indication that any modern gear is in use except by the United 

 States tuna^ fishing vessels on the Pacific side. Weirs or corrals are used to some extent 

 on the Pacific side in the various "esteros". 



A IT of the fishing gear is assembled by the fishermen — usually frcan in^Jorted material. 



POTENTIAL FISHERY INDUSTRIES 



The operation of the new fish market in Tegucigalpa demonstrates that there is a ready 

 market for fresh, salt-water fish in Central American conmunities if the fish products are 

 of good quality and priced to compete with other food commodities. The ease with which fish 

 are obtained for this new enterprise demonstrates that fish supplies of some considerable 

 magnitude lie in Honduran waters. Further increases in the volume of fresh fish shipped to 

 Tegucigalpa, undoubtedly, could be made if prices were kept low and the quality good. It 

 appears, however, that the most promising development in this regard woiild be to utilize 

 truck rather than air transportation from the Bay of Fonseca. Vae resources could serve the 

 maxlmim public service through the capture of edible fish supplies on the Pacific side by 

 mass-production methods; storage of large seasonal supplies to maintain a flow to consumers 

 through periods of scarcity of supply; operation of efficient and sanitary transportation 

 units from point of production to point of storage and from point of storage to point of 

 sale; and operation of a number of fflodei>n retail distribution units in the centers of 

 population. 



Unused Resources 



The greatest potentialities for expansicoi of Honduran fisheries are in the lagoon areas 

 of the northeastern Caribbean coast and the extensive reef areas to the East. Here, there 

 are resources of fish, shellfish, and turtles that have gone practically unxised in a ccramercial 

 sense. The only item of interest in this field has been in turtles. Even though great possi- 

 bilities in the resources are to be fourjd, the state of development and transportation is "such 

 that it is doubtful that much greater \xse can com3 until the necessary handling and preserving 

 facilities are available and until a niarket can be developed. It is extremely doubtful that 

 the local market could use enough fish to make any great development worthwhile, yet there is 

 resison to believe that the coastal area and San Pedro Sula with its contiguous area could 

 support an increased production of fish. Until the interior can be reached by relatively 

 inexpensive transport means, it is possible that the greatest markets will be provided outside 

 of Honduras, 



The abundance of groupers and snappers, both high-quality fish, indicate that live-well 

 boats could be used for transport either to Honduran coastal ports, to Jamaica or Cuba, to 

 the Canal Zone, and to the United States, Vessels of the type used on the Campeche Banks 



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