FISHERIES AND MARKET FOR FISHERY PRODUCTS IF MEXICO, ETC. 1 5 



products, as the Mexican people are beginning to call for and demand 

 the advertised goods. Prompt shipment of orders, c. i. f., careful 

 packing to insure delivery in good condition, prompt forwarding of 

 all documents of shipments, notification to purchaser as to bank at 

 destination through whom papers have been sent, would help to 

 increase the importation of tnese products. There are no pm'e-food 

 laws or inspections of these products in Mexico. The Mexican import 

 duty on codfish is 10 centavos per kilo, or 5 cents American money, to 

 2.2 pounds; on salmon and sardines, 20 centavos, or 10 cents Ameri- 

 can money. 



ACAPULCO. 



[By Harry K. Pangburn, vice consul, November 24, 1921.] 



The principal local fishery products in this district are fresh sea 

 fish, lobsters, clams, and oysters, which are sold locally. Fishing is 

 usually done at night from canoes with lines and nets. There are no 

 power boats or sailboats regularly employed in fishing, although 

 trolling from power boats is resorted to occasionally. Practically all 

 the fish are sold at once, while fresh, in the local market place. Some- 

 times certain species of fish are cleaned, salted, and dried in the tropi- 

 cal sun. No fishery products are exported. There has been a 

 limited market here for imported fishery products, such as canned 

 sardines, canned salmon, and dried codfish. While the exact figures 

 of importation are not obtamable, careful inquiry from the im- 

 porting houses of this district developed the fact that the total im- 

 portation of fishery products in the district does not exceed 11,000 

 per year in value. For some years past all importations have come 

 from the United States and have been shipped almost entirely from 

 San Francisco. There is no reexport of imported fishery products. 



The abundance of fresh sea products easily obtainable at a low price 

 makes difficult the sale of the imported fishery products which have 

 to pay duty and consequently have to be sold at a higher price. The 

 importers see no chance for a more extensive sale of imported fishery 

 products until the present business depression passes and the people 

 are enabled to purchase these food products which are now con- 

 sidered as luxuries. The purchasing public of this district has never 

 acquired a taste for the sea foods mentioned above, and if a market 

 should be sought here it might be well to send for free distribution 

 some small samples of the products in order that a demand may be 

 created for them. 



SALINA CRUZ. 



[By Lloyd Burlingham, consul. September 6, 1921.] 



A limited amount of fresh fish is taken from the sea and sold fresh 

 for consumption. There are no other fishery products. Fish are 

 taken in nets either in the outer harbor or else with rowboats about 

 1 mile from shore in good weather. Fish are not cured. No fishery 

 products are exported. 



About 500 cases of pink salmon are imported each month from the 

 United States. Perhaps 10 to 25 cases of tinned sardines are im- 

 ported per month into this consular district, about half coming from 

 the United States and half from Europe. There are no other imports 

 of importance. There are no reexports of imported products. Sar- 

 dines are the only fish imported from Europe. The price is probably 

 the governing factor. 



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