FISHING AND PORT DEVELOPMENT IN MANZANILLO: THE TUNA INDUSTRY IN THE CENTRAL WESTERN REGION OF MEXICO DURING THE 20TH CENTURY.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The objective of this article is to point out the beginning of the most important economic activities in Manzanillo during the 20th century, particularly maritime commerce and to a lesser extent coastal fishing; economic activities that led to highlight the port of Manzanillo as one of the most important in the west-central region of Mexico. Another objective will be to point out how fishing in Manzanillo was marginalized for decades as a consequence of the port's focus on merchandise traffic. By the 1980s, we see that the implementation of public policies addressed the main needs of infrastructure and services, both in the state of Colima and in the port of Manzanillo, mainly in the periphery of the San Pedrito Lagoon, where the most important fishing complex of Colima arose; which, over the years had strong investments by the federal and private sector, such as the Spanish businessman Antonio Suarez Gutierrez, whose participation in the national tuna industry will be analyzed.