THE FISHERIES AND FISH TRADE OF PORTO RIC'O. 6 i i 



and up tlio same for about 2 miles. The native name of the.se fish-pots 

 is '^nasa." Of the numerous species taken in pots the following 

 are noted: Salmonete, plentiful; lane snapper, of 1^ to 2 pounds; i-ed 

 parrot, of 3 to 4 pounds; mud-tish or old wife, of 5 to (5 pounds, are 

 plentiful; blue parrot, 2 pounds; spade-lish, 1 to li pounds; roek- 

 beaut}-; palmoneta, of 3 to 6 pounds, are plentiful; mariposa, i to 1 

 pound; medico or barbero, i to 1 pound; old-wife {Balistes vetula)^ 

 average weight 2 pounds. When sold in the market the skins of this 

 tish are taken off and bring 2 or 3 cents a dozen, being dried and used 

 for polishing or scouring. Spotted trunk-fish of 2 to 3 pounds are 

 here sold for food; gobies {Dcmiiitator maculatus) weighing i pound 

 are taken in 4 fathoms, only by pots; spiny lobsters {Palinnrus inter- 

 rujjtu.s), occasionally taken in pots, are not much used by the natives. 

 Outside the river, about 2 miles from shore, pots are fished in 5 to 6 

 fathoms. In the river pots are more or less fished at all seasons. 

 Hooks and lines are also used in the river by 12 men having 6 boats. 

 Their catch comprises the following, which are reported plentiful: 

 Eels, big-ej^ed herring, bony-fish, and robalo. 



Trawls are set as far as 3 miles from shore in 85 fathoms, 75 hooks 

 on each trawl, the following species being taken: A few pompano in 

 50 fathoms; cabra mora, plentiful in 5 to 7 fathoms near shore, in 

 deep water some weighing over 50 pounds are reported to be taken; 

 cherna or Nassau grouper, plentiful in 5 to 6 fathoms; red grouper in 

 10 fathoms; catalufa; toro, plentiful; gray snapper, scarce, taken in 

 25 fathoms; dog snapper, a few from 7 fathoms; schoolmaster, not 

 plentiful, 8 fathoms; red snapper, plentiful; mutton-fish; pargo, f rom 

 1 to 10 pounds, plentiful, taken only by trawl; pluma (Calamus hqjo- 

 nado), plentiful in 25 to 30 fathoms, average weight -1 to 10 pounds, 

 taken here only by trawls. 



Cast nets are used near the shore in the surf, no boats being used. 

 Their catch consists chiefly of sardines and mullet, which are plentiful. 



Trolling hooks and lines are used as the fishermen visit and return 

 from the ofi'shore fishing grounds, the following species being then 

 taken: Spanish mackerel of 5 to 10 pounds; king-fish of 20 to 30 

 pounds, plentiful; also bonito of 15 to 20 pounds. 



MAYAGUEZ. 



The large cit}^ market at Mayaguez has at most seasons a greater 

 abundance and larger varietv of fresh fish than is elsewhere found on 

 the island, yet the supply seldom, if ever, tills the steady demand. 

 In addition to the fish furnished by the few local fishermen, small 

 amounts are received from Aguadilla by rail and sail, and from the 

 few fishermen of several near-by places north and south of the city. 

 Fish are most plentiful during the winter months, but there is more 

 or less fishing all through the year. The one fish stall of the city 

 market handles about 150,000 pounds of fish a year, 50,000 pounds 



