380 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



an average of 5 pounds of clear shell. The fishermen receive $!•> a 

 pound for shells and 3 to G cents a pound for the meat of the turtles. 



The fishermen keep no record of their catch by species, l)ut report 

 most of the several species plentiful. Ver}^ man}^ fish too small to be 

 marketed are caught. These are given away to the poor and nothing 

 is wasted. 



The following species are reported as being taken bj' the apparatus 

 named: 



Pots or nasa: Red goat, yellow goat, lane snapper, rock hind, Nassau grouper, red 

 hind, red grouper,, red snapper, gray snapper, mutton-fish, pluma, loro Colorado, 

 blue parrot, candil, margate, spade-fish, rock beauty, blue angel, trunk-fish 

 (little esteemed), lobsters (scarce). 



Cast nets: Sardines, scad, chopa amarilla. 



Trawl {palangra): Runner, cabramora, grouper, red hind, red grouper, gray snapper, 

 dog snapper, schoolmaster, red snapper, mutton-fish. 



TroUing: Spanish mackerel, pluma, zapatero or leather-jack, runner, schoolmaster, 

 yellow-tail, lane snapper. 



PONCE. 



The district of Ponce is bordered on the south ])y the Caribbean 

 Sea for some 40 miles, about half the water froit of the south side of 

 the island. The long stretch of water front back to the foothills and 

 mountains is largely engaged in sugar culture, back of which the 

 mountainous district is engaged in cofiee and tobacco raising. The 

 fisheries are represented by a large variety of fine food-fishes that the 

 fishermen report as quite plentiful. No fish are dried, smoked, or 

 pickled. Fresh fish are in demand at the several cities and villages, 

 and at plantations, and prices are quite high. The business is appar- 

 ently capable of being largely increased to the benefit of producer 

 and consmiier. The fisheries are represented, from west to east, by 

 a few fishermen at the following places: Guanica, Guayanilla, Ponce, 

 Isabel, and Salinas, the total being 110 men. 



Guanica has 20 fishermen who dispose of their fish to a local demand 

 and at the city of Yauco. The 1-1 fishermen of Guayanilla also sell at 

 Yauco and to their own neighborhood. 



Ponce has 40 men who fish more or less, about half of the number 

 depending on the fisheries for a living; the remainder divide their 

 time between fishing and other work on shore. Their catch is dis- 

 posed of at the city market and bj^ street peddlers. 



Isabel has 22 fishermen who sell their catch near home and at Coamo 

 b}^ peddling. 



The 14 fishermen of Salinas find a market near home and at Gua3'ama. 



The fishermen of the several places mentioned fish more or less at 

 all seasons of the year. The catch is made in the waters of the home 

 harbors and for 4 to 6 miles out. Fish are most plentiful near shore 

 during January, February, and March. 



Two-thirds of the catch is made by the use of pots that are anchored 

 without bait and visited once a day. 



