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



As stated above, most of the fish caught in Venezuelan waters are 

 consumed locally or shipped to the interior towns of the Republic. 

 However, there exists a small export of dry salt fish to the neighbor- 

 ing islands, the total for the year ending December 31, 1919, being 

 224,342 kilos (493,552 pounds), valued at 104,614 bolivars ($20,190.50). 

 Ports of shipment and ports to which the dry fish were consigned 

 were as follows : 



Various kinds of canned, dried, and smoked fish, and sardines are 

 imported into Venezuela from the United States and Europe. For 

 the purpose of statistics and for the assessment of customs duties 

 they fall under two classifications, namely, fish and shellfish, and 

 sardines. The total imports to Venezuela for the year ending Decem- 

 ber 31, 1919 were: Fish and shellfish, 576,561 pounds, valued at 

 $91,183.04, and sardines, 806,359 pounds, valued at $102,475.47. 

 Through the port of La Guaira importations were made from the 

 following nations: 



From- 



Fish and shellfish. 



Sardines. 



United States 



Spain 



France 



Holland 



Great Britain 

 Italy 



Pounds. 



162, 965 



30, 551 



4,215 



1,349 



706 



1,597 



Value. 



$19, 503. 23 



3, 377. 50 



1,039.69 



146. 49 



112.91 



448. 15 



Pounds. 

 230, 769 

 112,523 

 9,975 



10,883 



Value. 

 $26, 960. 17 

 17,791.51 

 2,085.37 



2,858.33 



It will be noted from the above table that the United States is well 

 in the lead in furnishing canned fish and sardines to the Venezuelan 

 market. The small amount of French, Spanish, and Italian goods 

 found in the market is due more to the enterprise of the merchants of 

 these nationalities than to a lower-priced or better grade of product. 

 The American products can be obtained in almost every retail grocery 

 store, and their supremacy in these markets seems secure. 



Naturally, the imported products are consumed in the cities, 

 principally at Caracas, and the interior mountain villages. 



BRITISH GUIANA. 



GEORGETOWN. 



[By Christie W. Davis, consul, September 18, 1921.) 



The local fisheries are of small economic importance. A few small 

 vessels, each manned by two or three men, supply Georgetown and 

 New Amsterdam with fresh fish, consisting of snapper, snook, querri- 



