30 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



or cured. No packing of fish products is carried on and none are 

 exported. 



The following table shows the value of fish products imported 

 through the customhouse at Barranquilla during tne first six months 

 of 1920. Later statistics are not available. 



There is no established reexport trade. The principal competitors 

 of the United States in canned fish are Spain, France, England, and 

 Italy. The United States exported to Colombia, through Barran- 

 quilla, during the first six months of 1920 more canned fish than all 

 other countries combined, furnishing $115,040, or 56 per cent, of a 

 total of $202,366, or about twice the amount received from Spain, 

 the strongest competitor. One Barranquilla house ships about 

 $200 worth of French sardines per month into the interior. 



The reasons for part of the demand being supplied by other countries 

 are as follows: (1) Connections had been established before United 

 States actively entered the market. (2) Considerable numbers of 

 dealers are nationals of Spain, the strongest competitor of the United 

 States; (3) Sardines from Spain and Italy sell for 15 cents per can, 

 while the cheapest American sardines are sold at 20 cents. Better 

 grades of Spanish sardines sell at 25, 30, and 45 cents, and Italian 

 sardines sell at 15, 20, and 25 cents. 



The sale of American canned fish might be stimulated by corres- 

 pondence, which should be in Spanish. Appointment of representa- 

 tives to handle sales in the interior should prove of considerable 

 benefit, though in this vicinity there are no American firms handling 

 food products and but one American, who is a manufacturer's rep- 

 resentative, handling food products. It is possible that sales in 

 Barranquilla might be stimulated by advertising. 



CARTAGENA. 



[By E. C. Soule, consul, November 24, 1921.] 



The fishing industry in this consular district is limited to the 

 supplying of fresh fish to the local market. The fish are salt-water 

 fish, caught by the native fishermen by seining, trawling, and dyna- 

 miting. The latter method is illegal, but it is believed to be in 

 rather general use. Dried shrimp constitutes about the only fish 

 product, and these are not put through any special process other 

 than being dried in the sun. There are no exportations of fishery 

 products from Cartagena and no reexport of imported products. 



The importations of salmon, sardines, and cod for the year 1920 

 are given in the following table: 



