THE CARI3BEA.N AREA. — HAITI 



Beebe and Tee-Van (1928) reported that a small colony of Greek lishermen was located 

 at Port-au-Prince. This group engaged in net and hook and line fishing. Their particular 

 specialty was the capture of tunas ( Gymnosarda spp . ) and frigate mackerels ( Auxis s£.) in 

 the outer parts of Port-au-Prince Bay. They also took other species for sale in the local 

 market. Tnis colony, apparently, has been dispersed for there was no mention of its 

 existence in 19^2 . 



The Haitian fisherman, as a general rule, does not spend all his time in that activity 

 but also works on the land. Generally, anyone who has a boat of some type and a net or hooks 

 and lines becones a fisherman. There is however, a body of full-time fishermen. 



the average Haitian fisherman is poor and he is exploited to some extent by middlemen and 

 market women. He prefers not to sell his catch at retail in the market, but rather disposes 

 of it directly frcm the boat when he lands. Since he has but a limted market for his product, 

 he does not work to his full capacity, and surplus catches must be thrown away or sold at low 

 prices. Therefore, he gauges his labor to produce irtiat he thinks he can sell at the standard 

 market prices. 



Boats 



All of the craft used in the Haitian fisheries are small and locally built of imported 

 and domestic materials. The largest are sailboats up to 30 or 35 feet (3 tons, gross) and 3U 

 of this type were reported. Ihese vessels are rather clumsy and cannot be regarded as very 

 seaworthy or well built. They are not designed for the use to which they are put and, con- 

 sequently, cannot operate very efficiently even though they are well handled by the fishermen. 

 None is equipped with live wells or ice-boxes. Ihese boats may at times be used for other 

 purposes such as freighting agricultural products. When fishing, they may carry a crew of 

 4 to 6 men who operate pots, gill nets, hook and line, and small haul seines. They have a 

 fishing radius, at present of 10 to 20 miles. 



Slightly smaller sailboats, of the same general type and characteristics, average 15 

 to 18 feet in length (2 tons, gross). There were 107 reported. These are used to fish gill 

 nets and fish pots, and, at times, for trolling and handlining. Their fishing radius is from 

 /i to 8 miles. 



Boats from 12 to 15 feet long (1 ton, gross) are reported to number 608. These are small 

 sailboats, crudely built and not seaworthy. They are used only in shel^red waters. These 

 are used in fishing with hook and line and fish pots. The crew may be two to three men. They 

 have a fishing radius of two to four miles. 



The smallest craft are the dugout canoes, and- 636 were reported. These are usually 

 paddled — occasionally a small sail may be used on the larger ones. Usually, these are utilized 

 for hook and line fishing and for tending fish pots. They have a fishing radius of two to six 

 miles. 



Rafts or floats are also employed to some extent, and 71 wer-e said to be in active use. 

 These are built of native logs. They are used in handline fishing and, occasionally, for 

 tending pots. Their contribution to the total catch is small. 



With a small expenditure of funds and with technical assistance, better t;/pes of fishing 

 craft could be built in Haiti since wood is procurable locally and good shipbuilders may be 

 found in the Republic. 



Fishing Gear 



Fishing apparatus- is of the simplest type. Handlines are used extensively, both for 

 bottcm fishing and for trolling. The materials are imported usually, but native ingen'dity 

 has devised substitutes in some cases for lines, floats, and leads. Some of the more pro- 

 gressive fishermen set up to 20 lines from the gunwale of their boats and others set flag 



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