THE FISHERIES AND FISH TRADE OF PORTO RICO. 



371 



present the chief office remains at San Juan. Mr. A. R. Cruzcn is 

 collector of custonis for the entire i.sjand, with branch offices in charge 

 of deputy collectors at the foUowinj^- ports: Ponce, Ma3^ag'iiez, Are- 

 ci])o. Aguadilla, Arroyo, Huniacao, and Fajardo. The fishery imports 

 at San Juan, Ponce, and Ma3'aguez will be referred to in some detail. 

 The five remaining ports of entry, with several ports of less size and 

 note, are quite large receivers of tish, most of which is drawn from 

 the three first-mentioned, very few goods being imported direct. 



A large amount of fish donated as relief supplies for sufferers by 

 the hurricane of 1899 was admitted duty free during 1899 and 1900. 



Since July 1, 1901, all fishery products from the United States 

 (except bonded imported fish) have been admitted free of dut}^, those 

 from foreign countries being subject to the following duties: 



Duties on fisher;/ products. {Approved Maii 23, 1902; revised to Jidy 1, 1902.) 



Duty free: Lobsters, canned or uncanned, shrimp and other shellfish, and turtles. 



Dutiable: Anchovies, sardines, sprats, brislings, sardells or sardellen, packed in 

 oil or otherwise. In bottles, jar,s, tin boxes or cans, containing Ih cubic inches or 

 less, 1 \ cents i)er package; containing more than Ih cubic inches and no morQ than 21 

 cubic inches, 2^ cents per package; containing more than 33 and not more than 70 

 cubic inches, 10 cents per package. 



Fish (except shellfisli) in tin packages or packages containing less than one-half 

 barrel: Herring, mackerel, salmon, and other fish, 30 per cent; caviar, 20 per cent. 



Cents per lb. 

 Cod, haddock, hake, and pollock: 

 Dried, smoked, salted, or pickled, 



fresh frozen or packed in ice | 



Halibut, fresh, pickled, or salted 1 



Halibut, dried or smoked f 



Herring, dried or smoked | 



Herring, pickled or salted 5 



Herring, fresh \ 



Cents per lb. 

 Mackerel, fresh, pickled, or salted... 1 



Salmon, fresh, pickled, or salted 1 



Alewives, smoked or salted | 



Other fish, dried or smoked, pickled 



or salted, fresh frozen or packed in ice % 

 Fresh-water fish, not specially pro- 

 vided for \ 



Fish, skinned or boned \\ 



SAN JUAN. 



San Juan, the capital city, is credited by the last census with 19,487 

 population, the district of San Juan having 32,048. The city is one 

 of the leading ports of entry for fishery products, a large portion of 

 which on arrival are at once reshipped on local steamers or by sail to 

 the numerous seaports of the island to which they are consigned. 

 Several commission houses are large receivers of fishery products, the 

 business in 1902, as compared with 1897, the last year of Spanish rule, 

 showing an increase of 567,416 pounds and a decrease in value of 

 $75,853, the decrease in value being chiefl}^ due to the change from 

 Spanish silver to United States money. 



The fishery importations for 1897 and 1902, were as follows: 



