[13] FISHEEIES OF FOEEIGN COUNTRIES. 1195 



10.— THE FISHERIES OF SPAIN IN 1879. 



By DwiGHT T. Eeed, Consul- General. 



The following statement shows the condition of the fisheries of the 

 Spanish Peninsula at the close of 1879, no later statistics being avail- 

 able : 



Fisli-curing establishments : 



Number of establishments 785 



Value of establishments (7,149,278 pesetas) |1, 379, 810 



Number of vessels .: 1,620 



Tonnage 5,966 



Value of vessels (779,350 pesetas) |150, 415 



For the supply of fresh fish, and not connected with the above establish- 

 ments : 



Number of nets and other contrivances for taking fish 95,458 



Value (6,634,114 pesetas) |1, 280, 385 



Number of vessels 14, 017 



Tonnage 40, 184 



Value of vessels (7,779,577 pesetas) $1,501,460 



Total number of persons employed in connection with the establishments 



and in shipping fresh fish 78, 184 



Total value of the establishments, vessels, outfits, and apparatus for the 



supply of fresh fish (22,342,319 pesetas) $4,312,070 



No returns exist as to the amount or value of the products. 



Atun or tunny. — I make special mention of the atun or tunny, a very- 

 large fish of the mackerel family, as it is not found in American waters, 

 and as it is one of the principal productions of the Peninsular fisheries. 

 This fish weighs from 100 to 300 pounds. It is migratory in its habits, 

 and enters the Mediterranean from the Atlantic during the spring of 

 each year, in large schools, for the purpose of reproduction, returning 

 afterward to the ocean. It is taken with strong seines, and when sur- 

 rounded by the net each fish is lifted on board the vessel by means of 

 poles with a stout hook at the end. The flesh is highly esteemed and 

 is eaten fresh ; also it is cured in oil in large quantities. 



For the ijurpose of taking the tunny the coasts of the Peninsula are 

 divided into districts, and each districtis leased by the Government, at 

 public auction, to the highest bidder, for a term of from three to five 

 years. In 1879 the Government received 124,071 pesetas, or $23,945.70, 

 for these leases. 



THE CANARY ISLANDS FISHERIES. 



On the west coast of Africa, between the twentieth and twenty-ninth 

 parallels of north latitude, there is an immense abundance of fish of 

 many varieties. It is from this source that the Canary Islands derive 

 their supply of fish for salting purposes. Thirty-five schooners of from 

 30 to 50 tons each, manned by about 700 men and boys, constitute the 

 fishing fleet of these islands. This fleet furnishes annually about 



