4 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



PIEDRAS NEGRAS. 



[By William P. Blocker, consul, August 25, 1921.1 



The Piedras Negras consular district is strictly interior, remote 

 from the sea. There is no fishing industry, with the exception of 

 sportsmen fishing for black bass. During various times of the season 

 small amounts of fresh fish are imported from the seacoast towns 

 of Corpus Christi and Galveston, Tex., arriving in Piedras Negras 

 about two days after being packed for shipment at the seaport. 

 Local merchants usually plan their orders for fresh fish in order to take 

 care of Catholic fast days, but it has never been considered a profita- 

 ble business, owing to the possible loss caused by spoiling while en 

 route and the nonsale of the entire amount. 



As the State of Coahuila has no seacoast, the State authorities 

 have made no study of the fishing industry, and the rivers and lakes 

 are not large enough to make fishing a business in this district. 

 Canned fish, such as sardines and salmon, cod and dried herring, are 

 imported monthly, all of which is usually sold to the wholesale 

 merchants by American firms in the United States. After carefully 

 questioning the wholesale houses here I have been unable to find any 

 who purchase fish products from European countries, it being con- 

 sidered, apparently, that the American fish products are closer and 

 of superior quality. 



CHfflUAHUA. 



[By J. B. Stewart, consul, September 1, 1921.] 



There are no fishery products in this district, which comprises the 

 southern two-thirds of the State of Chihuahua. However, the city 

 of Chihuahua is regularly supplied with fresh fish caught in the very 

 large artificial lake known as La Bequdla and situated about 100 

 miles south of Chihuahua. 



Fishery products, consisting of sardines in both cottonseed oU 

 and tomato sauce, salmon, codfish, shrimp, and oysters, are im- 

 ported into this district almost exclusively from the United States, 

 One large retail grocer is now, as previous to 1914, importing these 

 goods from Spain, but they are so high in price that only a few 

 Spaniards and some wealthy Mexican families can afford to purchase 

 them. These imports are probably not more than 3 per cent of the 

 total imports, about 97 per cent coming from the United States. 

 Since Chihuahua is not a port of entry, import statistics are not 

 available. There is no reexport of imported products practiced in 

 this district. 



In the years before the war a very large percentage of all the better 

 grade fishery products came from European countries at reasonable 

 prices, and it is now believed that if it is ever possible to again bring 

 these goods in at prices approaching American prices all except the 

 poor people will again buy the European product in preference to the 

 American because of its past reputation. However, as about 50 per 

 cent of the inhabitants of this district belong to the working class and 

 receive low wages, the big demand is for the cheaper grade of sardines 

 and canned salmon, and dealers do not anticipate that European 

 countries will be able to compete with American manufacturers of 

 this class of goods. Regarding dried cod, it should be mentioned 



