20 U. S. BUKEAU OF FISHERIES. 



the largest consumers are the foreign families and the native families 

 which from long residence along the coast have acquired a taste 

 for American canned goods. 



No figures are available at this consulate for fish imported from the 

 United States during the last fiscal year* with the exception of salt 

 and pickled fish. Of these 80,194 pounds were imported, representing 

 a total value of $21,617.51. It is probable that figures representing 

 the total value of fish imported into Honduras can be secured from 

 the consulate at Tegucigalpa. 



TELA. 



[By S. L. WilMnson, vice consul, September 25, 1921.] 



Other than a very negligible quantity of small fresh fish taken by 

 primitive methods and sold each morning on the beach in open 

 market there are no fishery products in this district. The fish are 

 caught in small throw nets or with hook and line, usually from small 

 canoes or the wharf. Dried fish is the principal diet of the "Caribs" 

 (Jamaican negroes), who live in small villages along the coast. The 

 fish are cleaned, salted for a short period, and placed in the sun to 

 dry. No scientific method of preparation is employed. 



The fishery products imported consist of sardines, shrimp, crab 

 meat, salmon, etc., in tins or cans. None of the imported products 

 are reexported. While no statistics are available at this port, this 

 office has made a thorough investigation and taken note of the 

 stocks of canned fishery products of practically all the merchants 

 handling this class of goods, and of the seven stores visited only 

 two had supplies of canned fishery products originating in countries 

 other than the United States. These consisted of small stocks of 

 sardines and "calamares" (squids) imported from France and 

 Spain. In the cases cited the preference for foreign goods is no 

 doubt due to the fact that the merchants are Spaniards and have 

 long-established connections with Spanish exporting firms. Cus- 

 toms importation statistics by ports of entry and for the Republic 

 may only be obtained from the "Oficina Estadistica" in Tegucigalpa. 

 Over 95 per cent of the total fishery products imports^i into this 

 district originate in the United States. This is believed to be a very 

 conservative estmate. 



LA CEIBA. 



[By Alexander K. Sloan, consul, November 30, 1921.] 



Although the sea in the vicinity of La Ceiba abounds in food fish 

 such as tarpon, mackerel, and re^ snapper, there is not enough sea 

 food brought into this port to supply tlie local market. The reason 

 for this condition seems to be the lact there is a tax upon fishermen 

 which costs them $6 every time they lift their nets. As a consequence 

 there are no fish cured, preserved, or canned for either local consump- 

 tion or export. 



While there are no statistics available which show the value of 

 the imported fish products, it has been estimated by the principal 

 merchants and commission men of La Ceiba that the total amount 

 imported averages about $4,000 per annum. Lobsters, oysters, 

 clams, and shrimp are imported almost exclusively from the United 

 States, sardines from Spain, Norway, and France, although a small 



