COLOMBIA ii/ 



The shrimp production from the Caribbean 

 coast of Colombia has but slight prospects of increas- 

 ing. The Pacific coast, with adequate facilities and 

 government assistance, could probably produce between 

 3 and 6 million pounds sinnually of large and jumbo 

 shrimp tails. Shrimp species of smaller size perhaps 

 could produce a like amotint. The 19^ catch was about 

 500 thousand pounds, headless. There are only five 

 trawlers operating along the Pacific coast and none 

 on the Caribbean. 



COMMERCIAL SPECIES AND FISHING GROUNDS 



There appear to be only two species of shrimp taken for 

 commercial purposes on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. These are 

 Penaeus schmitti, the young of which are taken from lagoons near 

 the mouth of the Magdalena River, and P. brasiliensis , which is 

 caught, also only the young, from La Cienega Grande de Santa Marta. 

 La Cienega is an extensive marsh lying between Barranquilla and 

 Santa Marta. 



Along the Pacific coast P. occidentalis is the predominant 

 commercial species. Two other white shrimp, P. stylirostris and P. 

 vannajTiel, also occur but apparently are not very abundant. Some of 

 the larger "zebra" shrimp, Trachypeneus byrdi and I. face , are some- 

 times kept by the trawlers; more often they are discarded along with 

 the sea bob, Xiphopeneus riveti . 



The Pacific fishing grounds extend from Cape Corrientes to 

 the Ecuadoran border. Tumaco Bay, in the south, is one of the better, 

 if not the best, fishing areas. The trawlers will sometimes fish in 

 10 or 12 fathoms, but nearly all fishing is done between 3 and 6 

 fathoms . 



No official catch records are gathered. The shrimp catch 

 from the Caribbean coast is estimated to range between 600,000 and a 

 million pounds annually, heads-on weight. By far the bvilk of this 

 catch is from La Cienega. The fishermen claim that the best shrimping 

 season is during the dry period from about January through May. When 

 rains are not too heavy and the marsh water does not become too sweet, 

 the fishermen catch some shrimp the entire year. During flood periods 

 they are unable to find the young shrimp. 



11/ The survey of Colombia was made during May 1956, and this date, 

 unless otherwise specified, is implied when current events or prices 

 are alluded to. 



35 



