THE CARIBBEAN AREA — BRITISH WEST INDIES 



Conclusions and Recommendations 



Conclusions and recommendations are given below for each of the important geographic 

 sections of the Eastern Group of the British West Indies, these are taken in the following • 

 order: Leeward Islands; Dominica, St. Luda, St. Vincent, The St. Vincent Grenadines, 

 Grenada and Caxriacou (Windward Islands); Trinidad} and Barbados. 



LEE7/ARD ISLANDS 



General Conditions 



Fish is a staple article of diet for all classes in the Leeward Islands, and imparted 

 salt fish has been the basic protein food of the laboring classes. In 1940, about 550 fish- 

 ing craft employing 1,800 fishermen landed 1,750,000 pounds of fresh fish valued at approxi- 

 mately *175,000. In addition to this, imports of all classes of fishery products amounted 

 to 1,850,000 pounds valued at approximately §111,000. With a reported population of 97,000, 

 the annual per-capita consun^tion of fish products of all types converted to a whole fresh 

 fish is 94- poxmds. 



The fisheries of the Leeward Islands are conducted with small, locally-built boats of 

 good design, not exceeding 30 feet in length, equipped with sails and capable of operating 

 within 10 to 15 miles of shore, but dependent on wind and current conditions. None is 

 equipped with motor, live-well or ice-box. The dominsint type of gear is the fish-pot. 

 Seines and other nets contribute a significant part of the catch. Ihe fish supply is on 

 a day-to-day basis with no carry over of stocks. In the larger communities, fish are sold 

 by market women at regularly established fish markets. In smaller communities, where no 

 fish markets exist, fish is bought by the public and by hucksters on the beach where the 

 fishing boats land. In normal times, the inland communities are generally well supplied 

 with fresh or lightly-salted fish through huckster distribution. 



An extreme scarcity of fish was found at the time of this survey (April-May, 1942). 

 Ihere has been a significant decrease in the catch. This is attributed to (a) shortage of 

 materials for construction of gear, (b) decreased numbers of fishermen due to labor demands 

 elsewhere, and (c) insufficient return to the fishermen \inder the present Government-con- 

 trolled prices. Ihese factors have caused the withdrawal from the fishery of more than 50 

 percent of the normal number of craft and a corresponding decline in the landings. 



Conditions tending to jiggravate the scarcity of fresh fish and reduced supplies of 

 imported fishery products are (a) the increases in population caused by the establishment 

 of bases, (b) the increased purchasing power due to higher wages, and (c) the curtailment 

 of imports through restriction of regular transport. 



Means for increasing the supply of fishery products include (a) the diversion of 

 sufficient shipping space to transport salt fish from the normal sources of supply in North 

 Atlantic ports, and (b) the establishment and expansion of local fishing effort. An immedi- 

 ate increase of locally produced fish is possible since (a) sufficient craft of good fishihg 

 types are available, (b) productive fishing areas are accessible, (c) the native types of 

 fishing gear and methods in use are well suited to local conditions, and (d) experienced 

 fishermen will return to the fishery when conditions are more favorable, 



A considerable increase in the catch would make fresh fish more easily obtainable not 

 only to the regular consumers, but also to the military bases. The need for imported fish- 

 ery products would lessen. If a surplus of fish were present after all the demands for 

 fresh fish had been satisfied, then the surplus could be salted. 



203 



