ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 138, 23 March 1948, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Dates for Shooting Season

FISH MOVED FROM HINDS RIVER Advice tlmt the open season for ducks, pukeko and black- swan would be from May 1 lo May SO, and for Californian quail and ehukor from May 1 to July 31, was received from the Department of Internal Affairs at a meeting oil’ the Ashburton Acclimatisation Societv Council last night.

Bag limits would be the same as last season: Quail 20, ehukor 10, mallard duck 10, grey spoonbill duck 10 head in all, paradise duck live, black swan 10. pukeko eight; not more than 25 head in all of grey, mallard and paradise ducks, and black swan. The ranger (Mr M. Orton) reported that during the season 18,620 fish had been transferred from the Hinds River to other streams and lakes. He also reported that several persons h(id been apprehended poaching salmon in the Ashburton River, and proceedings were being taken against them. Mr M. Laird, B.Sc., of the Department of Zoology, Victoria University College, wrote asking for assistance in obtaining blood smears from ducks and swans shot in the different parts of the district during the approaching open game season. He was engaged in a study of the blood, and blood para.silos of New Zealand birds. He stated that a small percentage of ducks ex amined in the North Island last, season were infected with a blood parasite not hitherto recorded in Australia or New Zealand.

The council decided to assist in obtaining the blood smears, as requested.

Banded Ducks

The Department of Internal Affairs' wrote requesting that duck shooters be asked to report any ducks shot bearing an aluminium band on the leg, as it was desired to check the movements of ducks which had been banded in the North Island.

Mr C. Whitney, K. 8., of Auckland, inquired whether it would be possible to capture 100 Canadian goslings to be dispatched to the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, as some people in the province wished to establish the geese.,lt was decided to refer this matter to the Auckland Acclimatisation Society before taking any further action.

The chairman, Mr G. Kelly, reported on the regional conference of Canterbury acclimatisation societies held at Christchurch on March 3. The following decisions were carried: The fishing season for the back country hikes .will open on November 1; the size limit of fish in these lakes will be 14 inches, with a uniform bag limit of eight fish, excluding salmon; with the exception of Lakes Heron, Coleridge and Sumner, the bait will be restricted to unweighted artificial fly, or feather lure.

A letter was received from Mr. D. F. Hobbs, senior fresh water fisheries officer of the Marine Department, stating that a full report of his investigation into conditions at Lakes Camp and Clearwater would be furn-. ished in a few weeks.

The chairman said that Mr Hobbs bad made some important discoveries relating to plankton in Lake Camp. He had also discovered many silveries in this lake, and it was possible that Professor Perciva.l would visit the lake to make further investigations of the remarkable conditions prevailing.