FISH BREEDING AT OPOHO.

Otago Witness, Issue 1971, 14 November 1889, Page 26

FISH BREEDING AT OPOHO.

(By a Peripatetic Rbfobteb.) Besides the fact that the breeding ponds at Opoho constitute the parent institution for the acclimatisation of fish, their position is an interesting one on account of its romantic surrouudirjgs. One of the first surprises to meet one is the great and widespread good that has been accomplished by what at present appears as an insignificant supply of water, and the degree of success attained could never have been what it is had not close application and careful study made the most of the favourable opportunities afforded by the physical features of ihe grounds. It requires no very observant mind to note in everything done in and about the grounds that above everything else in the rearing of fish their natural habits and requirements have been studied, and to this fact, no doubt, the great success which has crowned Mr Frank Dean's labours, aa curator, is due. The importance of the work done is scarcely sufficiently recognised by the general public, nor does it appeal that the full scope of its possibilities are understood and comprehended by the Acclimatisation Society who control matters. The rearing of fish as a food supply has not yet received theatttention which itdeserves from Otago residents, more particularly. In the United States of America, and on the continent of Europe this branch has long since grown into a recognised and profitable industry, and it must be admitted tht»t many circumstances combine to hold out tempting inducements for its introduction into New Zealand. Although the colony is composed of islands, no part of the interior of which is more than 70 miles from the coast, there are many districts in which fresh fish are never seen, and as an article of food count with the rarest delicacies, and when obtainable at all are eagerly bought up at prices ranging from 6d to Is per lb. Wakatipu trout in Dunedin sells at about the same piice, and in Melbourne, trout, procured by Mr George White from Lake Hayes (close to Lake Wakatipu) fetched as high as 3s 6d per lb. With such prices it will be seen that success depends only upon the procuration of the fish to make fishbreeding pay, as ready markets for the sale o£ it at highly remunerative prices do already exist. Statistics collected in America and Europe chow that laud caunot be put to a more profitable use than to the production of fish ; under careful management one acre of reservoir has yielded an average return of £170 per annum for a period of five years, whilst the average yield of fish per acre of artificial ponds is £37 per annum. And it must be borne in mind that when once laid out and in active operation such works require little attention or labour and less outlay in cash for repairs than does the raising of any other kind of crop. In New Zealand, where water abounds at almost any level and of any desired temperature, half the battle is already gained, and all that is required is a knowledge of the treatment of fish from their ovum to maturity. This information the acclimatisation societies are highly qualified to collect and disseminate, and the Government may be recommended to consider the^ appointment of a duly qualified instructor to impart information on the selection of fish best suited to be reared in ponds, and on the manner of rearing them. The varieties now reared at Opoho comprise the following species : — American brook trout, Rhine trout, Rhine salmon, English salmon, and English gerch. The available stock of fry for distribution this season is : Brown trout, 320,000 ; brook trout, 80,000; Loch Leven, 5000; and English perch, a very large number just hatching. Eight hundred healthy fry have been obtained from a cross between the Rhine trout and the Scotch burn trout. Also at the Clinton pond the society have a large number of stock fish, as follows : — About 100 English salmon, 250 Loch Leven trout, some 200 Scotch burn trout,and some tench and carp (golden). The number of fry available for distribution from this establishment is: Salmon, 10,000; English trout, 220,000; Bcotch trout, 14,000; Loch Leven trout, 60,000; brook trout, 4000. Independent of this, there are close on 300,000 English salmon fry (Government shipment) on hand to be turned into the Aparima in Southland. This shows what can be done by an effort, which would not be too much for the enterprise of private individuals, and energy; and it has been shown also that the effort ia worth the attempt.