ECUADOR il/ 



Along the coast of Ecuador, Guayaquil 

 is the only port with any facilities. The coast 

 in general is arid, and the ports are usua3.1y 

 open roadsteads or sheltered bights where cargo 

 is transshipped by lighters. In one place the 

 cargo is carried froBi the beach to the lighters 

 by men who wade through the shallov; surf. Away 

 from Guayaquil, fresh water becomes an important 

 supply problem. 



Shrimp-fishing operations started seri- 

 ously in 1951i. There were three companies and 

 about 35 boats fishing shrimp in Ecuador in the 

 fall of 1955. Two shore freezers and one floating 

 plant were in operation. One shore plant was ex- 

 panding its freezing capacity, and a new plant was 

 to be installed. Operations are conducted under 

 contracts with the government. At present it takes 

 about a year to negotiate such a contract. The 

 contracts permit the use of foreign vessels for 

 1 year. After that time the vessels must come 

 Tinder Ecuadorean registry. 



There are two shriinping grounds: One 

 in the north from about Esraeraldas to the Colombian 

 border, and the other in the Gulf of Guayaquil. 

 The Ecuadorean whits-shrimp population can probably 

 provide 3 to 6 million pounds of 20-and-under head- 

 less shrimp a year. In 195U, the catch amounted 

 to 1.3 million pounds. 



There is a scarcity of experienced shrimp 

 fishermen and plant workers in Ecuador. 



17/ The survey of Ecuador was made in late October and early November 

 T955, and this date is implied when time is not specified with respect 

 to current events and prices. 



hi 



