HONDURAS 26/ 



Hoiidux"c-E ac . - - Ghriiap i'iiAiery. 



Probably about 50,000 pounac, iic;udLJ-on v;ti'-:ht, c.re 

 caught fjuiuslly in the Gulf of Fonsecs. The Car- 

 ibbean coast perhaps can eventually product 500,000 

 pouiids, heads-on, a year but the j'tportedly scattered 

 distribution of the shriiiip is not conducive to fishing, 

 Iiriports of shrimp are iiisij^'nlficant . 



COM'LERCIAL SPiCI>:a AK'D FISillMi GROUNDS 



There is no coin-ficrcial fishing for shrimp in Honduras. The 

 only consistent fishing is that by the natives, principally for their 

 own use, with cast nets along the shores of the Gulf of Fonseca. In 

 this area, juveniles of Penaeu_s stylirostris and P. occidental is are 

 caught. Probably about "^,0^)0 pounds, heads-on weight, of shrirap a 

 yecir are caught in the Gulf of Fonseca. The portion of this gulf 

 pertaining to Honduras is limited, and there is not much possibility 

 that a commercial fishery, other than for local consuiaption, will 

 develop there. 



Various traiflers have fished the Cai^ibbean shores of Honduras 

 and have caught some white (probably P. schmitti though perhaps the 

 species is P. setif erus) and pink (P. duorarum) shrimp. From reports 

 of these operations it appears that the best area is between Cape Cajnaron 

 and Cape Gracias a Dios, and tiiat the pink are probably more abundant 

 than the white. The shrimp seem to be scattered and not in great con- 

 centration. Reports of trawlin^^, in Li'l\e Caratasca indicate that this 

 lake is not a nursery area. Probably the sand and coral nature of the 

 adjacent seabed is not suited for the adult white shrjmp. 



The lagoons between Puerto Cortes csvi La Ceiba apparently do 

 not serve as nursery grounas either. Local inhabitants claim that no 

 shrimp can be found in these lagoons. Eveiyi'.'here else in Latin America 

 where shrimp occur, the local population is catching and eating themj 

 it can be concluded, conneoueat^y, tliat if shrimp are in this area, they 

 are too few in number to sustain a com.aercial fishery. 



26/ The survey of Honduras was made during February 1956, and that 

 date is implied when current events or prices are alluded to. 



69 



