TOE CARIBBEAN AREA — HAITI 



only 1,636,000 pounds. This decline In in^jorts before the Vlar was due to increased prices. 

 Then, since the War began, shipping difficulties have also caused reductions. A high import 

 duty (about 3-1/3 cents per pound plus 20 percent surtax) on dry-salt fish has contributed 

 to a lowering of the iji^)orts. The rate for pickled or smoked fish has been half that for 

 dried products. 



Per-Capita Consun^ition 



Present consumption of fishery products in equivalents of fresh fish as taken fron the 

 water is about 2 1/2 pounds per person per year. This is a decline from a figure of about 

 10 1/2 pounds per person established in the 20 years prior to 1936, 



Marketing 



Most of the fish brought to the market in Port-au-Prince arrives in the fishermen's 

 boats. Women vendors sell the catch from stalls equipped with concrete benches in a public 

 fish market. Some fish is also sold from displays spread on the ground in the gaieral 

 market square. The market area of the capital city is close to the water and adjacent to 

 a poor dwelling section. Conditions there were unsightly and, undoubtedly, unsanitary. In 

 Port-au-Prince, fried fish are sold on the street comers by women. These fish are usually 

 small sardines, anchovies, or mulletj but, any small fish is used. The fish is fried in a 

 pan held over a charcoal pot and is sold for a very low price. A considerable amount of 

 fish is sold by this means and the comer vendors enjoy a brisk trade. 



POTENTIAL FISHERY INDUSTRIES 



Unused Resources 



Sven though Haiti does not have extensive shallow-water areas along its coast and, even 

 though the productivity of the sea in this area is not great, there is evidence to show that 

 unused fishery resources are available. 



The immediate coast, especially on the north and west is fairly intensively fished, but 

 the south coast could stand greater fishing effort. Even in the Bay of Port-au-Prince, there 

 are areas vrhich have been little fished because of their distance from shore and because the 

 depths are greater than can be fished with the present gear. It is felt that further effort 

 could be app]-ied to fishing in the region of the Grande Cayemite, Cape Dame Marie to Cap 

 Carcasse, and between Trou Gresse Pierre and Point des Flanands. With little bottom fishing 

 now being conducted in depths more than 50 fathoms, opportunity exists for deep-water hand- 

 line fishing. 



Perhaps the greatest possibilities will be foiind with offshore pelagic species such as 

 tuna, swordfish, and marlin and with inshore pelagic species such as Spanish mackerel, king- 

 fish, jacks and others. 



With the present fishing methods and viith present handling and preserving facilities, 

 it has been Impossible to talcen advantage of the seasonal abundance of many of the species 

 frequenting Haitian waters, 



Mth greater catches made by more efficient means, it should be possible to expand the 

 fish-salting program already instituted by the National College of Agriculture. To make this 

 program more successful, the question of supply and distribution of salt for this purpose 

 should be examined. 



Trade in fresh fish can be expanded by providing holding facilities for excess catches. 

 This might well be initiated with the use of live wells on the fishing boats. Live cars 

 anchored outside of the polluted area of harbor water would provide storage space for live 

 groupers, snappers, and other valuable species. Improved marketing conditions and a system 



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