THE FISHERIES AND FISH TRADE OF PORTO RICO. 
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THE LOCAL FISHERIES. 
San Juan . — The fisheries here scarcely receive the attention which would be 
expected from a city of the size of San Juan. There are 75 fishermen, using 4 keel 
and 25 flat-bottom, lateen-rigged boats of small size and little value. These men 
work on the neighboring plantations more or less, only a few of them being engaged 
in fishing at any one time. The apparatus consists of fish pots, seines, and chin- 
chorros. Nearly all the species seen in the San Juan market, except the ‘ ‘ Colorado 
and the “sierra,” are taken in the pots. The seine is used chiefly for “liza” and 
“robalo,” and the chinchorro or round seine for corcobados, sables, balaju, corvina, 
and corjinua. In the gill nets are caught the pargo, jurel, barbudo, chopa, and 
corvina. The cast net is used almost exclusively for sardines. The silgo or trolling 
line is used chiefly for the sierra ( Scomberoviorus maculatus). The Colorado (Neomcenis 
vivanus ), one of the most important fishes of the San Juan market, is taken only by 
the hand line, usually in about 60 fathoms of water. The fishermen use very small 
boats, and can go out only when the sea and wind are quiet. The fishing is done 
very early in the morning. 
Almost every part of the harbor of San Juan supplies some fish to the market. 
Just off Catano, near the Marina, are two of the principal places where the fish pots 
are used, obtaining great numbers of pargo, cherna, muniama, ronco, chopa, moharra, 
and corvina. At the Playa de la Mosa and at Palo Seco seines take large numbers 
of liza, jarea, and robalo. The ground off Morro Castle supplies about all the 
colorados ( Neomamis vivanus) brought to San Juan. Another principal fishing- 
ground supplying San Juan is 4 or 5 miles eastward of the city, near Cangrejos and 
San Jose. The fishermen using that ground leave San Juan early in the morning, 
spend the day and following night fishing, and return to San Juan to market their 
catch on the morning of the second day by 5 to 7 o’clock. 
Palo Seco is the principal fishing village supplying the San Juan market. There 
are here about 60 fishermen, who use 25 small sail and row boats with fishing appli- 
ances similar to those already noted. Their catch is chiefly made in the evening and 
at night, in and near the mouth of the river and in the bay, a few boats using trolling 
lines outside of the harbor. Fish pots are set in the river and bay and outside of the 
harbor. When used in the river they are attached to the shore by a line; when 
used outside they are weighted with stones and anchored to a buoy, although when 
well water-soaked they need no weights. 
The anglers, or those who go fishing for sport, usually fish for the sierra, the 
jurel, and the cherna, and those who go outside get the Colorado. Probably the best 
angling about San Juan is between the Marina and Morro Castle and at Pueblo 
Viejo. Jurel and cherna are often taken on hand lines at the foot of San Cristobal. 
Anglers also make trips to the Rio Plata for robalos. 
The number of species of food-fishes seen in the San Juan market is quite large 
and compares very favorably with that of any of our cities. About 40 species were 
seen there by us during our brief stay in January, and to these Mr. Oscar Riddle 
has been able to add several during his inspection at various times during the winter 
and spring of 1900. In the following list are included 50 species commonly seen in 
the San Juan market, arranged approximately in the order of their importance. 
The common names given are those most frequently used in this market, and the 
prices per pound are in American money. 
F. C. B. 19Q0 — 3 
