FISHERIES OF PORTO RICO. 15 



FRESH-FISH BUSINESS. 



Fishing for a livelihood is not carried on to a large extent anywhere 

 in Porto Eico, and scarcely at all for sport. A few fishermen at the 

 several ports make a living by fishing, plantation work, and labor at 

 the docks on vessel cargoes. 



The professional and semiprofessional fishermen, as noted by the 

 writer, number nearly 800, and emjiloy about 350 sail and row boats. 



The local fisheries yield numerous species of fine edible fishes. 



In view of the large amount of dry and pickled fish imported, it is at 

 first surprising that so little attention is given to this business. As a 

 rule, the local demand is indifferently supplied with fresh fish, usually 

 at high prices. Ice is never used, and only the few fish taken of large 

 size are dressed. None are canned, and the only attention given to 

 curing is when an extra large catch is made, a few being then poorly 

 cured for the home use of the fishermen. 



In past years the best of the business was monopolized by the few 

 persons interested who had means to buy the exclusive right to fish at 

 the most favorable localities, such as near the outlets of streams and 

 at other desirable j)laces along the coast. Rights were advertised and 

 sold at auction by the authorities. At some ports the local authorities 

 imposed a special tax on all fresh fish landed. 



Under Spanish rule all fisheries were in charge of an officer known 

 as the captain of the port. Any person wishing to engage in the busi- 

 ness was obliged to procure from him a license and be enrolled in the 

 reserve naval force, licenses being granted only to subjects of Si)ain. 

 Boats were numbered, and a record kept of licenses, men, apparatus, 

 and, to some extent, of the products. Unfortunately for our knowledge 

 of the former extent of the local fishing industry, the records of the 

 captains of the ports were either destroyed or carried away by those 

 ofBcials at nearly every port when the change in government took place. 



With the change of government, the granting of exclusive fishing 

 privileges iu the waters of Porto Rico and its adjacent islands was 

 abolished by an official order, a copy of which is here given : 



Headquarters Department of Porto Rico, 



San Juan, P. R., December 4, 1S98. 

 From and after this date the granting of exclusive fishing privileges in the streams, 

 rivers, bays, inlets, and other waters of Porto Rico and its adjacent islands will be 

 discontinued and the right of fishing in the said waters will be absolutely free ; but 

 all persons who enjoy said free privileges will be subject to the common and statute 

 laws which govern fishing in said waters. 

 By command of Major-General Brooke: 



M. Y. Sheridan, 

 Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, Chief of Stajf. 



At the time of taking these notes, February, 1899, a new cabinet had 

 just been seated; its officers reported that no action had been taken on 

 the fisheries; all fishing and the landing of their catch by fishermen 

 were free from tax; no rei^orts had been received from the several 



