16 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



districts, and their officers had no records relating to the fisheries or 

 statistics as to their past condition. 



The apparatus consists of a limited number of nets, trawjs, and 

 trolling lines, and many wicker-made pots or traps. It is of the most 

 primitive character and is made by the fishermen. 



Fishing for sport may possibly receive more attention in the future 

 than in the past, as a large number of mountain streams and lakes are 

 more or less supplied with fresh-water fish, while numerous species 

 are available in salt water. 



SAN JUAN. 



The fisheries at this city receive little attention. Seventy-five men 

 claim to be fishermen, using 4 keel and 25 flat-bottomed boats of small 

 size and little value, lateen sails being used. These men work on the 

 neighboring plantations more or less, only a few of them being engaged 

 in fishing at any one time. Part of the catch is made by haul seines, 

 in which small fish are taken. Trolling lines are largely used in deep 

 water, far from shore, for fish of large size. 



The catch is jjrincipally made late in the day or during the night, so 

 that the market can be reached by 4 a. m. ; a fair average of a day's 

 catch by three men and one boat being 250 pounds. On landing the 

 catch at the city it is usually bought by a middleman at from 4 to 8 

 cents a pound, but not paid for until disposed of either at the city 

 market or by peddlers. Fish are peddled strung from poles, and are 

 also carried in large, oblong, shallow baskets. 



The retail prices range from 15 cents a pound upward. The largest 

 fish are often cut up in slices to supply small demands; small and 

 medium fish are never dressed, and no ice is used in the business. This 

 manner of disposing of fish by peddlers is in general practice at the 

 several ports. 



Many of the species are brightly colored and curiously marked, and 

 make a very attractive appearance when first caught. Many of them 

 have fine edible qualities. 



PONCE. 



In view of the large imports of dry and pickled fish and its general 

 use by the 30,000 inhabitants of this city, and the number of so-called 

 fishermen of the place, the amount of its fresh-fish business is surpris- 

 ingly small. 



The captain of the port reports that since the late change in gov- 

 ernment 127 men have been enrolled and granted permission to fish, free 

 of any charge, in the waters of the district. They use GO small open boats 

 of an average value of $40, The boats are of schooner, sloop, and cat 

 rig, together with skifTs and dories with sails. None of them are large 

 enough to be entered at the custom-house or to need any papers except 

 that granting the privilege of fishing. The fishermen follow the fishing 

 business very irregularly, and of the GO boats enrolled the average 

 number engaged in fishing from day to day is not over 5 to 10. 



