The govcrnincnt took a special interest during v/artime in "rationalizing" 

 the industry and stepping up production. Considering that neither the fisher- 

 man nor the consumer \7as properly protected in n EypteiP- v/hereby intermediaries 

 bought the catch at barter prices and sold to distributors at auction, the 

 government set up an executive Commission on Fishing (Comissao Execiitiva da 

 Pescn), which in the State of Sao Paulo gave a concession for the purchase 

 and distribution of all fish delivered to the ports to a private organization 

 operating under official supervision. Fishermen were assvrcd a stable price 

 for their product and the fish were sold directly to the public through the 

 retail outlets cf the concessionaire. 



Put this experiment v;as shcrt-livdd. With the change in politics in 

 19/t5, the Executive Commission v/as dissolved and distribution reverted to 

 the old free market system. By certain ].Trofessional assistants in the State 

 Ministry of Agricultvire this is considered a lamentable step backward. They 

 view with misgiving the advantageous position felt to be held by the inter- 

 mediaries and the uncertainty which individual fishermen face in disposing 

 of their hauls. They point to increased production during the period v/hen 

 the commerce v/as under govcrnr.ent control and to diminished production since. 



The concessionaire under the government system' is now operating as a 

 private cooperative. It currently distributes about 35 per cent of all fish 

 caught in the coastal waters, purchasing from groups of fishermen associated 

 ¥;ith the cooperat5.ve and selling through 27 modern outlets in the city of Sac 

 Paulo. 



Through its Institute de Pesca Maritima and marine biological station 

 in Santos, Sao Paulo has become a pioneer in South America in research on 

 the biological and comim.ercial aspects of maritimiC fishing. The Institute also 

 supervises a series of courses for the training of professional fishermen. 



There has been little organized commercializati-cn of fresh-water fish- 

 ing. The rivers of the interior contain many varieties of fish and some 

 of the choicer specimens can be fovind for sale from time to time in Sao 

 Paulo markets. Put the difficulties of transportation imapose a formidable 

 handicap. Angling for fresh-water fish in the streams and rivers of the 

 State is a very popular sport and subsistence fishing is carried on bj^- the 

 poorer classes in the interior as well as along the coast. 



L CCATiai 



Ma.ny of the most prolific areas off the Sao Paulo coast have not yet 

 been touched. Fishing is rarely carried on more than 5 miles from the shore 

 or at a greater depth than 20 meters, which is about the present lirdt of 

 the drag nets used. Developm.ent of these areas awaits more powerfiil fishing 

 boats and more modern equipment. 



The coastal area nov; exploited is generally divided into three sectors, 

 as follows: 



SECTCP. . ZaiES 



Northern Sao Scbastiao 

 Ubatuba 

 Ilha Grande 



