FISHERIES OF PORTO RICO. 17 



The catch is made chiefly with set pots anchored in and about the 

 harbor; single hooks and lines are used, and a fe\^ haul seines are 

 operated along the water front. 



Xo fish are dried, smoked, pickled, or canned, all being disposed of 

 fresh for local use. The aggregate catch is small, and no record is kept 

 of the amount. 



There is said to be a scarcity of fish in this vicinity. So long as the 

 fishing is done with set pots, in which bait is seldom used, only light 

 catches of small and medium fish can be expected. A few large fish 

 are taken by men with a single hook and line in deep water. 



The city of Ponce has quite a large and good general market, in 

 which the fresh-fish business makes a poor showing, with its one stand, 

 on which a few fish are sold by two or three men. Fish are sold here, 

 as elsewhere, through the streets by peddlers, who carry them sus- 

 pended from poles borne on their shoulders. Those of small size are 

 tied in bunches and sold at so much a bunch ; if large enough to weigh 

 2 to 6 or 8 pounds, at so much each. None are sold by weight. None 

 are dressed, and ice is not used. 



Eetail prices average 10 to 15 cents a pound in Spanish money, which 

 was worth GO cents on a dollar when exchanged for United States 

 money. 



The old records now in the custom-house at Ponce show that during 

 the portion of 1898 in which it was under Spanish rule the fishing 

 business of the district was represented by 310 fishermen, with 109 

 registered boats. This district then included most of the south side 

 and a small portion of the west end of the island, or about one-third 

 of the coast line of Porto Kico. 



That the business was carried on with little energy or return to the 

 fishermen may also be judged by the value of the catch, as shown by 

 the old records, for the last six mouths of Spanish rule. The aggre- 

 gate value of fish taken in the district of Ponce by the 310 enrolled 

 fishermen for that portion of 1898 when it was held by Spain amounted 

 to 26,815 pesetas; this represents only $3,218 in United States money. 

 On account of the disturbed condition of all Porto Eican business in 

 1898 that year can not be considered as a fair average. 



MATAGUEZ. 



The fresh-fish business of this port is not extensive, but the market 

 has a larger supply and better variety of fish than are found at the 

 markets of San Juan and Ponce. The catch is made by 25 fishermen, 

 who use 10 to 12 small sloop-rigged keel boats. Most of the boats 

 have a well in the center to keep the fish alive until disposed of. An 

 equal number of dories are used. The former are built at the port at a 

 cost of from $50 to $175 each. The dories are of Canadian or United 

 States make, having been purchased of vessels arriving with dry fish. 



The custom-house at this port reports one vessel, of 7i tons, in the 

 fisheries of the district. 



FC99 2 



