378 REPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



additional being- sold through the streets by peddlers. Fresh llsh, as 

 sold in tlu^ market, average 8 to 10 cents a pound, undressed, with 

 very small changcvs in [)iiees of species or for seasons. 



The market ofticials and Hsh handlers report very littl(\ if any, 

 cliangi^ in the amount of receipts, prices, or al)undance of th(» several 

 species during the past four 3'ears. No record is kept of the receipts 

 or sales, the aggregate for the year being from estimates of market 

 officials and dealers. Of the numerous species at times found in the 

 market, the following are the most conunon at all seasons: Salmonete, 

 or red and yellow goat-fish, lane snapper, mullet, sardines, Spanish 

 mackerel, king-fish, runner, grouper, scad, and snappers. 



The following shows the catch by different forms of apparatus: 



Huid seines {cMnchorro): Leather-jack, runner, barbudo, and oasabe, all very plen- 

 tiful; pompano, Nassau jjrouper, red hind, red fjrouper, lane snapper, and jurel. 



Trolliixj hook iDid line: Colirubia, picuda, jurcl, >j;nH'ii parnjt, niadregal, Spanish 

 mackerel, and king-fish, tlie last two chic-Hy during December, January, Febru- 

 ary, and March; a few during other months. 



Pots: Runner and margate, very plentiful; corocoro, Nassau grouper, red hind, red 

 grouper, gray snapper, dog snapper, schoolmaster, red snapper, lane snapper, 

 pluma, squirrel-fish, scarce; spiny lobsters, of oto4 pounds weight, fairly plenti- 

 ful, pots often having from 3 to 10 lobsters each at a single lift. 



Cast nets: Sardines and balaju. 



Traivl: Runner, mero cal)rilla, red hind, red grouper, schoolmaster, mutton-fish, red 

 snap])er, and lane snapper. 



Randal (line with 'A to 4 snoods near its end, one hook on each snood): Runner, 

 cabra mora, Nassau grouper, red hind, red grouper, gray snapper, dog snapper, 

 nuitton-lish, lane 6napi)er, and pluma. 



MONA ISLAND. 



Mona Island, about 25 miles southwest from Mayaguez, is at times 

 visited by fishermen from Aguadilla and Mayaguez for fish and hawks- 

 bill or tortoise-shell turtle. Fish are reported plentiful about the 

 island, though but little fishing is done. The chief attraction for 

 fishermen and others from more distant sections of the main island is 

 the turtle fisher}-. Turtles are found during May, June, and July, 

 but are never numerous. The hawksbill turtles weigh 25 to 75 pounds 

 each; the shells from 5 to 10 pounds. During 1902, 700 pounds of 

 the shells were sold at Mayaguez at an average of $3 per pound, and 

 the turtle meat at 6 to 7 cents a pound. 



ANASCO, SABINATA. AND ALOARROBO. 



These three fishing settlements are a few miles north of Mayaguez. 

 The amount of their fish business is small, and the species taken are 

 the same as those taken by the fishermen of Mayaguez. This section 

 of the island suffered much from the hurricane; many of the fishermen, 

 having lost Ijoats and fishing apparatus, gave up the business. 



BOCA DE JOYUDA. 



Eight miles south from ^Mayaguez a fiMv fishermen live in a grove 

 of cocoa palms that borders the beach. Their work is varied b}' fish- 

 ing at times and extracting cocoa oil from the products of the trees at 



