VENEZUELA ^ 



Venezuela produces about 2 million 

 pounds, heads -on weight, of shrimp a year. This 

 production is consumed entirely within the country. 

 Production may eventually reach 8 to 10 million 

 pounds or more. The development of an export 

 trade seems unlikely because of high costs. About 

 16 trawlers operate in vjestem Venezuela catching 

 both fish and shrimp for local markets. Trawling 

 within 8 miles of the coast is prohibited. Sea 

 bobs appear to be the most abundant shrimp near 

 the mouth of the Orinoco Fliver, 



COIMKICIAL SPECIES /J!lD FISHBIG GROUI'IDS 



Four spacies of shrimp appear in the commercial catch of 

 Venezuela , Pgngieus scmni tt ij the young of which are taken in Lake 

 Maracaibo and in "the lagoons near El Hatillo and Puerto de la Cruz, 

 and P, aztecu s are the more coimrion forms found in the markets, P« 

 brasTli ensis, which is ciufht along with P, aztecus by the trawlers 

 operating out of Punta Fijo snd Puerto Cabollo, seems to be much 

 less abundant than either of the other tt'o species, Xiphopeneus 

 kroyeri, the sea bob, apparently occurs from near El Hatillo to the 

 British Guiana border but is fished only near El Hatillo, The sea 

 bob, a species of small size, evidently is the most abundant form 

 near the mouth of the Orinoco River, 



For statistical purposes the Venezuelan Department of Fish 

 and Game divides the coast into three zonesjan eastern, a central, 

 and a western zone. The eastern zone comprises the area between the 

 frontier with British Guiana and Caps Unare near El. Hatilloj the 

 central zone extends to Cape Chichiriviche, a little west of Puerto 

 Cabelloj and the western zone extends to the Colombian border. 

 Shrimp catches are usually largest in the western zone (table 36), 

 Production of fresh shrimp has been increasing; in recent years owing 

 principally to the expansion of the trawl fleet. In 19'^^ f according 

 to official statistics, the catch was about a million poujids, heads- 

 on weight. It is probable that the catch actually was nearer 2 

 million pounds. 



^8 / The survey of Venezuela was made- during Ifey 1?56, and this date 

 is implied when current events or prices are alluded to. 



161 



