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



PUNTA ARENAS. 

 [By Austin C. Brady, consul, December 3, 1921.] 



The fishery products of this district consist principally of two 

 species of fish, the robalo and the pejerrey, a crustacean, the centolla, 

 and mussels of several sizes. There are trout in some of the streams, 

 but few trout are taken. Some sea urchins taken along the coasts 

 are used as food. The centolla is the only product of this district 

 that is now prepared for market. Centollas are taken in encircling 

 nets, which are usually allowed to remain in place over night. Roba- 

 los and pejerreyes, both salt-water fish, are also taken in encircling 

 nets, some of which are drag seines. 



The centolla, an eight-legged crustacean, resembles an enormous 

 spider, and probably is of the same family as the spider crab. The 

 flesh is similar in taste to that of the lobster but more delicate. 

 Centollas are found at places in the Straits of Magellan and in the 

 protected waters of the Chilean coast, both north and south of the 

 straits. It is reported that similar crustaceans are found in Japanese, 

 South African, and Australian waters. 



Centollas are canned in Punta Arenas during the months of Novem- 

 ber, December, and January. The closed season extends only from 

 June 1 to October 1, but it is stated that usually it is possible to 

 take them in large quantities only during the three months men- 

 tioned. There is at present but one establishment at this port 

 engaged in preparing them for market, 50 persons being employed 

 during the canning season. The centollas taken for canning range 

 in weight from 1 to 4J pounds. They are dumped into iron kettles 

 and boiled, and immediately thereafter the flesh of the body and legs 

 is extracted and placed in cans. The cans are thoroughly steamed 

 after sealing. The local cannery handles from 60,000 to 100,000 

 centollas yearly. It is estimated that 70,000 will be handled this 

 year and that the output will be about 50,000 cans of one-half kilo- 

 gram each, or a total of approximately 55,000 pounds. The shells 

 of the centollas are sold by the cannery to local poultry farms. 



The Punta Arenas cannery is now marketing its product at the 

 rate of 180 Chilean paper pesos (about $20 at the present exchange 

 value of the American dollar) a case of 48 half-kilogram cans. Almost 

 the entire ouput is shipped to central and northern Chile. Practically 

 no fishery products of this district are at present exported. Occ'ksion- 

 ally small shipments of canned centolla are made to Argentine Pata- 

 gonia. 



Chilean customs statistics show the following imports of fishery 

 products into this district during the calendar years 1918 and 1919: 

 In 1918, dried and salted fish, 11,288 Chilean gold pesos ($4,120 

 normal exchange) ; canned salmon, 20,451 gold pesos ($7,464) ; 

 canned sardines, 46,914 gold pesos ($17,123); other canned fish, 

 including shellfish, 22,421 gold pesos ($8,183). In 1919, dried and 

 salted fish, 23,170 gold pesos ($8,457); canned lobster, 4,825 gold 

 pesos ($1,761); canned salmon, 19,504 gold pesos ($7,118); canned 

 sardines, 47,043 gold pesos ($17,170); other canned fish, including 

 shellfish, 20,279 gold pesos ($7,401). Statistics showing countries 

 of origin are not available here. 



Some supplies for Argentine Patagonia and Argentine Tierra del 

 Fuego are obtained from Punta Arenas, and in 1919 the total value 



