348 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
For want of convenient methods of transportation, it is only the people 
of the ports who can have the luxury of fresh fish, and even these may know 
it only as an occasional delicacy if the fishermen are accustomed to work at a 
considerable distance from the port. To the people of the interior only salt 
fish is ever available, and they prize it highly. Even this is a rare luxury in 
most parts of the country, however, on account of the rather unsatisfactory 
preservation of fish and the entire want of system in the marketing and distri- 
bution of the product. At some ports, in fact, neither fresh nor salt fish are 
regularly obtainable.” 
At the island groups of Guafiape, Lobos de Afuera, and Lobos de Tierra 
practically all the fish taken are preserved by salting or drying for the supply 
of the region of coast between Salaverry and Paita. Paita even boasts a small 
exportation of salt fish, since two balandritas convey annually about 50,000 
fish (‘‘sierras,”’ ‘“‘bonitoes, ” “ caballas,”’ “‘ peje-blancos,’”’ and ‘“‘meros”’) to Manta, 
in Ecuador, and other ports of the north.” 
That preserved fish is not more available to the people of Peru is rather 
remarkable in view of the general occurrence of deposits of salt. In almost 
every part of the coast are found salt beds of greater or less purity. In some 
places, as near Pisco, cakes of almost pure salt can be picked up from the 
ground. ‘The extraction, refining, and sale of salt are restricted, however, to 
the National Salt Company, and the common market price is exceedingly high. 
So far as I am aware, only the fishermen of one village, San Andres, near Pisco, 
have the privilege, especially granted them, of taking for themselves the com- 
paratively good salt from the hillsides near the shores of Paracas, where they 
commonly fish for peje-reyes and other fishes. On the other hand, the Govern- 
ment, realizing the absolute necessity of cheap salt to the fishermen, has made 
special arrangements for their benefit. Each fisherman is entitled to receive 
monthly from the salt company 2 quintals (200 pounds) of salt at a nominal 
price, while for such further quantities as he may need the price is fixed very 
much below the regular market price. These arrangements would seem to be 
most satisfactory to the fishermen, at least; but the indigenous fisherman has 
an almost unconquerable prejudice against the purchase of salt, and will rarely 
go beyond the allowance, although often complaining of its inadequacy. In 
times of especial abundance, quantities of fish are therefore sold at small prices 
or allowed to spoil. : 
One of the expedients of the fishermen, resulting only in part from the 
inadequacy of the salt supply, is the use of what they call ‘“‘salitre.”” The 
29 66 
a The importation of salt and canned fish in 1905 amounted to about £38,361 ($186,800), but the im- 
ported product does not reach a large proportion of the natives, who are without fish food of any kind. 
b Sierra, Scomberomorus sierra; bonito, Sarda chilensis; caballa (mackerel), Scomber japonicus; 
peje-blanco, Cawolatilus sp.; mero, not identified. 
