22 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The bow rig, with from 3 to 6 hooks attached to each of the short 

 snoods suspended from its end, is used from 3 to 4 miles from shore, 

 in from 60 to 150 fathoms of water. They are employed on 6 or 8 of 

 the largest boats, carrying from 3 to 4 men each. 



About 40 cast nets are used along the beach and in the river, taking 

 sardines and other small fish. 



The Rio Grande, having its outlet at Arecibo, is one of the many 

 small streams which has its source in the adjacent mountains. For the 

 first 16 miles from its mouth it is more or less fished throughout the 

 year by cast nets, and occasionally by haul seines near the mouth. 

 Under Spanish rule no weirs or traps of any kind were permitted in 

 the river, and haul seines only by special permission. No fish are 

 cured, all being sold fresh by the fishermen, who carry them suspended 

 on poles, selling small fish by the bunch and those of large size by the 

 piece. A market is found in the city of Arecibo and the surrounding 

 plantations. The prices received are 6 to 8 cents a pound, the fish 

 being sold direct by the fishermen to the consumer. 



AGUADILLA. 



Fresh fish forms a large portion of the food of the 5,000 inhabitants 

 of this city and vicinity. The catch is made in the waters of the 'bay, 

 a small amount coming from the Culebrinas River, which is fished from 

 its mouth for 2 miles upstream. The river catch consists chiefly of 

 small fish taken with cast nets. 



Fishing in the bay is largely by 10 haul seines used along the beach. 

 Each is from 150 to 300 feet in length by 15 to 20 feet in depth, with 

 mesh 3 and 1^ inches in the wings, and f inch in the bunt. They are 

 hauled by 6 or 8 men to a net. 



There are 10 trawl lines used in from 50 to 100 feet of water, having 

 from 100 to 200 hooks, each attached to short snoods. For deep-water 

 fishing, from 3 to 4 miles ofl'shore, the bow rig is employed. This is 

 simply a bow of strong wire, at each end of which is attached a short 

 line having from 1 to 4 hooks. Fifty of these are used in water from 

 300 to 500 feet deep. The value of a bow rig of hooks and line is 4 

 pesos, or dollars. The principal part of the catch by the bow rig is the 

 very handsome spotted redfish {cahrilla), of fine edible quality, weighing 

 from 5 to 10 pounds each. 



Sixty cast nets having ^-inch, square, mesh, and valued at $4 each, 

 are in use. Forty traps or pots are used in the bay, and at times a 

 small number are fished in the river. They are made of woven bamboo 

 splints fastened to light frames, each 3 feet in diameter and somewhat 

 smaller than those used at other places. They are valued at $4 each, 

 and in bay fishing are anchored in 40 feet of water. 



Fishing is chiefly in the early morning, with considerable toward the 

 close of the day, and very little between morning and late afternoon. 



The boats are all flat-bottomed dories, similar to those in general use 

 in New England 5 they are 12 to 18 feet long, 3 feet beam, with sides of 

 imported pine and frame of native wood. They are made at the port 

 and. valued at $25 each. 



