The offshore surface waters are extensive, and little is known about then, 
The evidence available indicates that schools of tuna are common 65 kilometers or more 
offshore, but their occurrence closer to shore is sporadic and undependable. The tunas, 
swordfish, sailfish and marlins usually make extensive seasonal migrations, while the 
kingfieh, spanish mackerel, flying fish and dolphins have only limited migrations. Little 
is known about seasonal migrations in this area. Although the offshore fishes seem to 
offer commercial possibilities, their utilization requires suitable harbors and large 
investments in boats, fishing gear, and processing facilities. If an exploration of this 
area proved promising for the taking of large quantities of fish, there would remain the 
necessity of having a suitable harbor for basing a fishing fleet, a refrigeration and 
processing plant, fishing gear, seaworthy boats, and a market outlet for large quantities 
of fish. 
Shark fishing in the Pacific areas has proven profitable on a small scale. The 
ports of San Jos€ and Champerico are open roadsteads, where it is difficult to operate 
small boats, especially during the rainy season (June to November). Judging by information 
obtained locally, the areas around the mouths of Rio Samalé and Suchiate offer excellent 
shark fishing. 
With the possible exception of the shark and tuna fisheries, the Caribbean 
coast offers more favorable conditions for commercial fishing than does the Pacific. 
Caribbean Sea 
The ports of Puerto Barrios and Livingston offer adequate harbor protection for 
a fishing fleet, and the number and quality of trained fishermen are greater than on the 
Pacific coast.. There are approximately 180 kilometers of coastal waters, all of which are 
comparatively shallow, with sandy beaches, and muddy bottoms below the five or six fathom 
contour. Excellent commercial fishing areas are present between the RIS Sarstun and the 
RYo Dulce, over the bar at the mouth of Rt Dulce, and eastward for some distance toward 
Puerto Barrios. Shallow areas extend from Puerto Barrios to Punta Manabique and Bahia de 
la Graciosa, but commercial fishing is not considered good in the latter area. Our seine 
hauls seemed to verify this, but it is believed that some experimental fishing to the west 
of Punta Manabique and on each side of Tongue Shoal at four to six fathoms might result in 
finding profitable fishing beds. 
The excellent productivity of the Bahia de Amatique is due largely to the 
amounts of dissolved nutrient salts and silt washed into it by the Rios Tamayo, Sarstun, 
Dulce and Agustin, and to the currents which carry these counter clockwise around the bay. 
Ox Tongue Shoal is a direct result of the deposition of silt from these rivers. 
"The principal fishes caught at Livingston are the robalos (Centropomus) 
end pargos (latjanus). These are caught primarily by seining and spearing and are well 
-liked on the Guatemala City market. 
Snappers (pargos) can be taken in large numbers in June and July, when they 
come into shallow waters to spawn. There are probably two or three species, and the 
habits apparently differ considerably. Snappers are taken in seines in fair numbers at 
different times during the year. 
Robalos frequent the mouthe of rivers, and are caught in beach seines, by 
spearing, and on hand lines. They are reported to enter the Rio Dulce in large numbers 
in early January, and are taken around the mouths of rivers in moderate numbers in 
April. They are caught in some places throughout the year and are the most important fish 
taken at Livingston. 
In Auguet, the jurel or crevally (Caraux hippos) appear in schools near the 
mouths of rivers where they can be taken in large numbers with beach seines. They ascend 
the Rio Dulce as far as the lower end of lake Izabal. 
The jew fish (judio) comes inshore to spawn in July and August. 
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