THE fISHERIES AND FISHERY RESOURCES CF BRITISH HONDURAS 



INTHODUCTICW 



The fisheries and fishery industries of British Honduras were studied, in August 1942, 

 as a part of a survey of the entire Caribbean area made by a Mission of the United States 

 Oovemaient under a cooperative arrangement between the United States Departnent of the 

 Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American 

 Affairs. The Mission 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 British Honduras consisted of Milton J. Lcbell, Fishery Bigineer, 

 and Clarence R. Lucas, Fishery Economist of the Service. 



British Honduras is a British Crown Colony on the Central American mainland. Ihe 

 population is very small and practically all concentrated on the coast. The waters of 

 British Honduras are studded with reefs and cays, and there is every indication that fishing 

 woxild be successfvil. The Mission visited Belize, the capital, in August 1942, to determine 

 the condition of the fisheries and to appraise the possibilities of expansion if this were 

 desirable. 



Note: The Mission acknowledges the great interest and assistance of Ur. Thomas Uasson, 

 the Collector of Customs of the Colony, and of Mr. Culver E. Gidden, American Vice Consul 

 stationed at Belize. The latter has prepared an excellent statement of the fisheries of 

 British Honduras and this is drawn upon in the preparation of tiiis report. 



145 



