SALMON FOR THE FLEET.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 75, 28 March 1924, Page 6

SALMON FOR THE FLEET.

AND FOR EMPIRE EXHIBITION. The success of Sir. C. Ayson, assistant to the Chief Inspector of Fisheries, in securing a record catch of Atlantic salmon in Lake Te Anau on Sunday has interest in other directions than the proof of successful acclimatisation, says the "Dominion." Mr. Ayson is making an effort to secure specimens for the Britsh Empire Exhibition, and it is also intended by the Fisheries Department to supply New Zealand salmon to the banquet to be given by the Prime Minister to the officers of the fleet. This would be an easy matter if anglers would part with their fish, as plenty of the Atlantic salmon are being caught in the lake and in the Upokororo and Eglinton streams, but the salmon are priced too highly, and in consequence the task has fallen' on the Department.

The , Marine Department intends this year to collect a much larger quantitjof Atlantic salmon eggs than last season, and to do this it will be necessary to work new streams. Mr. Ayson is therefore inspecting the Upokororo and Eglinton rivers as netting grounds for spawning fish. 1-ast year netting was confined to Upokororo, but the Eglinton is a much larger stream, and it is anticipated that the netting arrangements now being made to secure the spawning fish there will supply the desired number. The spawning salmon are taken high up streams, in order to get the stronger fish, but if netting for the supply of this dainty to the fleet at official functions has to be carried out, the salmon will probably be taken nearer the mouth of the Waian. from the fresh sea run supplies.