Pascagoula, Mississippi, is the home port for two live-bait 

 tuna clippers fishing in 1952 on the Pacific tuna gro-unds and 

 delivering catches to the Atlantic ports of Beaufort^ South 

 Carolina, and Gloucester, Massachusetts. If exploratory fishing 

 demonstrates that tuna can be taken in the Gulf and Cairlbbean in 

 sufficient quantity with live bait, it is to be expected that these 

 vessels would divert all or part of their fishing from the Pacific 

 to this areao 



Other than these two, there are no Atlantic-based fishing 

 vessels of satisfactory design to enter the long-range live-bait 

 tuna fishery without expensive conversion,, Crews could be 

 recruited from the local reservoir of fishermen to partially man 

 any additional tuna boats brought into the region. But experienced 

 tuna fishermen would have to be obtained from the Pacific coast 

 to train the local men, at least for the first few years of 

 operationo 



AVAILABILITY OF BAIT 



A preliminary survey of the sources for live tuna bait in 

 the Gulf and Caribbean is promising. The Cuban fishery uses the 

 majua or round herring ( Jenkinsia lamprotaenia ) , and the cabezona 

 or hard-head ( Atherinomorus stipes ), successfully . Both species 

 are widely distributed and are said to be ccramono The Oregon 

 took large quantities of the majua and the Spanish sardine 

 ( Sardinella anchovia ), in December 19^2 by use of liglits and lift 

 nets off the Yucatan Peninsula, The latter species appeared to be 

 very harc^ under tank conditions and displayed a behavior pattern 

 that seemed desirable for tuna bait. It has not yet been used in 

 fishing trials. In August 1952, large quantities of young jacks 

 ( Carangidae ) , of two or more undertermined species were observed in 

 the north central Gulf by the Oregon . These also are believed to 

 offer a promising possibility as tuna bait. Additional information 

 is needed on seasons and areas of abundant ba^.t supply as well as 

 on the behavior of bait species of the Gulf and Caribbean. 



MARKETS AND CANNERIES AVAILABLE 



There is little or no market demand for fresh tuna in the 

 West Indies or Gulf Coast Area at present, and local fishing 

 developments are intimately connected with the availability or 

 development of canning facilities. 



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