42 U. S. BUEEAU OF FISHERIES. 



The island of Santa Maria, which is three hours by boat from the 

 port of San Vicente, near Talcahuano, is one of the principal fishing 

 centers of Chile. Fresh fish and shellfish are landed at Talcahuano, 

 and also some fish are dried and a sort of codfish prepared. Two 

 motor boats are employed in these fisheries. The officer in charge 

 of the fisheries of this island and of the fisheries at and near Tal- 

 cahuano in his report to the head of the Government bureau at 

 Santiago for the months of July, August, and September, 1921, says 

 that the fishing industry on the island of Santa Maria and at and 

 near Talcahuano continues the same as in former years without any 

 increase in the products; that the production of the fish known as 

 "trite" has increased fourfold over that of the same period of former 

 years, this increase, however, being in the preparation of smoked 

 fish, as this fish is the one best suited for smoking. He further 

 states that the mussels are beginning to disappear and will do so 

 unless steps are taken to protect the beds. 



In the vicinity of Talcahuano there are about 500 fishermen. 

 They live at the small port of San Vicente or on the *'Isla de los 

 Reyes" (Island of the Kings) at Talcahuano. They seem to be very 

 good fishermen but have only small rowboats with which to fish. 



An article in La Union, of Concepcion, Chile, October 19, 1921, 

 says that the Mocha Island, which forms part of the Province of 

 Arauco, being opposite the Department of Canete, has fish and 

 shellfish. Further, it states that sea lions are very abundant, 600 

 having been killed in about an hour, and that their oil is sold to the 

 coal-mining companies. 



Fish have become much scarcer in the rivers near Santiago, owmg 

 to the use of dynamite for killing fish and the catching of the small 

 fish in seines of small mesh. Although the use of dynamite in the 

 streams of the country is unlawful, it is now thought that the penalties 

 are not sufficiently severe, and certain newspapers have advocated 

 making them more severe. The native fish have also been greatly 

 injured by the introduction of carp and other worthless fish that 

 eat the eggs and young of the valuable fish. The use of the waters 

 in the rivers for irrigation has also injured the fish. 



Fish are generallv caught in small nets used from small flat- 

 bottomed bi)ats and hand lines from such boats. Fish are also caught 

 by fishermen on shore with lines and with nets. Seines or dragnets are 

 operated from the shore where there are beaches. In fishing for cer- 

 tain kinds of fish Imes with many hooks are used. The methods of 

 obtaining shellfish and barnacles differ with the kind which is being 

 sought, but generally are caught by hand by moans of hooks or rakes. 

 All the methods are simple and are those of fishermen that have no 

 capital for obtaining elaborate fishing tackle or weU-equipped fishing 

 boats. 



The methods of curing fish are of the most primitive, and only 

 small quantities are cured, as fish are generally sold and eaten fresh. 

 The fish known locally as "pescada" are dried in the sun by stretching 

 them on the wire fences. The fish known as "trite" are smoked in 

 very primitive smoke boxes. 



Fishery products are exported from Chile in very small quantities, 

 the principal exports being of whalebone. The following figures for 

 1919 and 1920 show the extent of the exportations : 



