THE CiLRIBBEAN AREA. — HAITI 



lines carrying as many as 900 hooks. Handlining is carried on up to depths of 50 fathoms. 



Fish pots are utilized very generally throughout the fishery and these, usually, are 

 made of split bamboo, with few, if any, covered with chicken wire. They are ail locally 

 built by the fishennen. The pots are usually buoyed and baited. At least 10,000 of them 

 are fished and the total nuaiber is probably 20,000. These pots are set on fairly shallow 

 bottom in the neighborhood of reefs and rocks. The average catch has never been definitely 

 determined, but it is known to vary from a few pounds to 60 or 70 pounds for AS hours. The 

 pots are set and remain on the ground until worn out. Individual fisheimen operate from 2 

 to 10 pots', and sometimes more. 



Gillnets are used to some extent and these are set either at night or in the daytime. 

 The nets are relatively short and shallow and are handmade. Twenty-seven were enumerated, 

 Tfith others reported at several ports. 



Haul seines in use number %, These are used on beaches to take anchovies, sardines, 

 mullet, and other shore species. These nets are fairly small and they are handmade by the 

 f i shermen . 



Native wood calls d "bois flot" is used for corks j and stones are often used as weights. 

 Native fibers made into rope serves as buoylines and for other purposes. Bait consists of 

 small fish, the pith of sour oranges, or the flesh of spiny lobsters. 



As far as could be determined, no preservative treatment is given the nets. They are 

 handed down frcm generation to generation — each successively keeping the net in repair. 



Even though local materials are used as completely as possible for making gear, there 

 are shortages of some imported materials due to the War. These essential items are sail 

 canvas, fish hooks, nails, and seine twine. 



Income 



The income of the Haitian peasant is so low that he has very little money lor the purchase 

 of foodstuffs. Therefore, what food he does find necessary to buy he considers absolutely 

 essential for his well-being. Low-priced concentrated food, able to remain edible irLthout refri- 

 geration, are, therefore, demanded by this trade. Dried, salted, and pickled lish are consumed 

 in many countries under such circumstances. The main foods, however, under these conditions of 

 low income must be raised or captured by the peasant himself or obtained by barter with fellcw 

 peasants. 



In Haiti the farmer has learned to draw his very restricted subsistence from the soil. 

 His other requirements are few and he produces little to be sold or exported. TOiere these , 



peasants live near the sea and have become fishermen, they subsist in similar fashion. Fish I 



taken provide the fisherman's family with food and serve through barter to provide for other 

 simple wants, A considerable amount of fish, also, is sold in commerce. 



Prices 



Prices range from 2 to 20 cents (U.S. equivalent) per pound. The highest prices are paid 

 in the markets in Port-au-Prince, where in the latter part of 19 A2 the average retail price was 

 5 cents per pound, with a range of 3 to 20 cents per pound. The retail price lor locally- 

 produced beef was said to be 10 cents a pound, chickens were obtainable at 20 cents each, and 

 egge sold at about 1 cent apiece, although the best eggs were AO cents a dozen. 



Imports 



Iinports of fishery products, which jnormally averaged nearly 9 million pounds' a year, have 

 been dropping in the past few years. In the fiscal year 19^1-/^2, imports of these goods totaled 



184 



