FISH HATCHERY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 72, 7 January 1936, Page 2

FISH HATCHERY

RESULTS EXCEED EXPECTATIONS SUCCESSFUL ASHBURTON WORK. 70,000 TROUT FOR LAKES. After excellent results, so far exceeding all expectations, have been obtained at the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society's new fish hatchery at Tinwald, 70,000 brown trout will be liberated to-morrow and the next few days at Lake Camp and Lake Heron. Theso trout have been kept two months longer than usual until they have reached a size when they will be able to look after themselves. The hatchery contained a large quantity of brown and rainbow trout ova, and hatching was very successful. The brown trout oya was obtained mainly from the Selwyn River, through the courtesy of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, and from Lake Heron. Between 555,000 and 600,000 brown trout eggs were* placed in boxes and approximately 430,000 fry have been liberated in chosen places in the Ashburton River. The percentage of eggs which failed to hatch was extremely low, and the Society was very pleased with the initial results of the hatchery operations of the first year. In addition to the brown trout, 180,000 rainbow trout ova were procurred from Lake Alexandria, South Canterbury. Of these 100,000 eyed ova were supplied to the North Canterbury Society, owing to the necessity of fresh blood being required to stock that district. The Ashburton Society's ranger (Mr. D. McDougall) stated that he had never seen finer specimens of rainbow trout than those stripped at Lake Alexandrina, and their size may be imagined when it is .realised that the whole of the 180,000 eggs were obtained from 35 fish. It was considered that the first season's work would be more in the nature of an experiment, and it was expected that several adjustments in the supply of the water and the general equipment at the hatchery would have to be made. The aeration and temperature of the water were both important factors in the hatching of the ova. The equipment and the condition of the water has proved entirely satisfactory, however.

The success of the experiment seems assured, and, while the society was able to fulfil: its requirements for-this season, it is hoped to be able to handle nearly a million eggs at the hatchery next season. The society intends to seek assistance from the Fresh Water Research Committee. Professor E. Percival, of the biology staff of Canterbury University College, has intimated that he is prepared to advise the society about the conditions of the water* in the hatchery, and also about the most suitable places in any of the streams for planting eyed ova and liberating the fry.