382 REPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



(lozoii routih tiil)les ut the shore hindino- in front of the village. The 

 local demand is poorl}' supplied, much of the time there l)ein<,'- no fresh 

 fish for several da3\s, as was the case at the time of the writers visit. 



The ]>oats are of small size, rough and strono-. h()me-l)uilt. Sail or 

 row" l)oats, even the laro-est and best, do not venture over 8 or 4 miles 

 from shore. No wells are in the boats, no ice oi- salt is used, and the 

 catch must be disposed of at once on landing. If the catch is larger 

 than needed for local use, it is peddled on the sugar i)lantations. 

 Sales are usually by the bunch, single fish, or strips of the largest, 

 which are cut up, the price averaging about i\ cents a pound, all 

 species ))eing sold at the same price. About four months of the year 

 are lost to the iisheries from weather that is unfavorable for the small 

 boats used, but would not prevent a New England iisheiman. with 

 good eqiupment, from lishing. 



Hawksbill turtles, once plentiful, are now scarce, only 30 being 

 taken during 190:^. This small catch was made during rlamiary and 

 Februar}', one net ])eing used on the coral reefs, and by hand as the 

 turtles were found on the shore. 



Spiny lobsters, weighing from 1 to 3 and 4 pounds, are taken (piite 

 plentifull}" in pots set in about 6 fathoms of water and also on the 

 coral reefs at night, when a torch and forked stick are used. The 

 torch attracts the lobsters, and the forked stick pokes them out from 

 holes and impales them when emerging; or when found on the reefs 

 they can be picked up by hand. Lobster pots are baited with refuse 

 fish, either fi-esh or spoiled, of any kind. The ruimer, when taken in 

 pots, will soon kill itself if not removed; moray, both Idack and olive, 

 from 2 to 40 pounds, are plentiful at all times. Over two-thirds of 

 the fresh-tish catch is by un])aited pots anchored in 3 to (> fathoms if 

 near the shore, and in 8 to 15 fathoms when 2 or 3 miles from land. 



The following species are taken by the apparatus named, the average 

 weight of many species l)eing given: 



Potx: CaiKlil; red gnat; yellow goat; zapatero, A to ;| ])onn(l; luiiiier, 1 to 20 i)Ouncls; 



l)oni|)an(), 1 to 8 pounds; cabra mora, 1 to :i pounds; Nassau grouper, 1 to H; 



eal)nlla, 1 to 3; gray snapper, 1 to 6; dog snapju'r, i to (>; schoolmaster, 1 to 3; 



red snapper, 4 to 5; mutton-tisb, 1 to 3; lane snai)]>cr, 1 to 2; yellow-tail, 1 to 



2; margate, 2 to 5; boea Colorado, i to 1; chopa amarilla, 1 pound; red i)arrot., 



1 to 10; old wife, 1 to (5; spade-tish 2 to 10; l)lue angel, 1 to 5; fde-iisb, .\ to (5; 



trunk-lisli (scarce) ; puffer (not eaten); cajjitan or hog-lisb (4 to 20 pounds). 

 Shiylr hook oiul line: Cabra mora, 1 to 3 pounds; cabrilla, 3 to 30; red grouper, 20 to 

 ' 50 i)onnds, in from (i to 40 fathoms of water, are taken from .Inly to Ot'tolu-r; 



gray snaiii)er, S to 20; d(tg sna]ti)er, 8 to 20; schoolmaster, 5 to 20; red snapper, 



10 to 20; yellow-tail, 2 to 3 i>ounds. 

 TroUiiKj liook auiJ line: King-fish, 10 to 00 pounds; Spanish mackerel, 1 to 10; red 



gronjjer, 20 to 50; gray snapper, 8 to 20; pom]iano, 5 to 10; caltra mora, 2 to 3; 



Nassau grouper, 5 to 70; gray snapper; dog snai)per; schoolmaster; barracuda. 

 JIdul xcinc: Zapatero, 1 to \\ pounds; runner; })om]iano; Nassau groui>er; mutton- 

 fish; lane snapi)er; robalo, \ to 15 pounds; Spanish mackerel; mullet, 1 to 3 



pounds. 

 Cast lifts: Sardines, mullet, robalo. These nets are here used only for taking bait. 

 dill mix: Only 2 species reported, the balaju and hound-fish. The latter, weighing 



5 to 8 pounds, are plentiful, but are not sold for food. 

 Jioir hook and line (use<l in 40 to (iO fathoms): Catalnfa, yeilow-tail. 

 Traids (seldom used): Yellow-tail, red snapper, cabrilla, Nassau groui)er. 



