WONDERFULLY PRODUCTIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 152, 27 June 1914, Page 9

WONDERFULLY PRODUCTIVE.

NEW ZEALAND FISHERIES. COMMSK.CIAX AND SPORTING. PROFESSOR PRINCE IMPRESSED. FUTURE FOR THE DOMINION. Those who have been abroad and seen what the fishing industry means to older ! countries realise the tremendous possi- I bilities there are for Now Zealand in the waters which wash her wonderful I coastline. Of course there must first of i all be the population to need the sup- j plies, but there is nothing like being' prepared, and the time has arrived, when the industry requires putting upon something like a systematic footing. At I the present juncture the Dominion is exceedingly fortunate in having the advantage of the knowledge of such a famous authority as Professor E. Ii Prince, Commissioner of Canadian Fisheries, whose services were kindlyplaced at the disposal of the New Zea- , land Government by the Canadian | authorities. It is now two months since he began his investigations, and with Mr. L. F. Ayson, Chief Inspector of . Fisheries as cicerone, he has acquired a j

unique knowledge of New Zealand waters and fish, both sea and fresh water. Professor Prince returned this morning from Tauranga, and in the i course of conversation with a "Star" I reporter, he gave some very interesting information concerning his investigations and the conclusions at which he has arrived. EXHAUSTIVE INQUIRIES. 'T have practically completed the tour of visits to the fishing districts and held conferences with the Acclimatisation Societies, fishermen, and fish-dealers,'' he remarked. "There have been more than fifty of these conferences,, and 1 have visited all the principal inland lakes and rivers of both islands, seme of the lakes being Wakatipu, Manapouxi, Te Anau, Taupo, Rotorua. and Tarawera. In most cases I have been able, to secure a number of specimens of the fish, so that I was enabled to make a personal examination of their condition, size, etc. The cruise of the Hinemoa, which began in April and ended here in Auckland about the middle of May. gave mc a complete insight into the marine fishing. We made between forty and fifty tests of the various grounds with the dredge, and otter trawl. The only work that remains to be done is the" holding of some closing conferences at two or throe points in Cook Straits. including Picton, and making a visit to Napier, which I have hitherto -been unable to do. ™ My final conference will be held in Wellington with the 'Wellington sportsmen and commercial fisJierrnen and dealers—probably within a week. Then, of course, 'I shall be engaged preparing my repen-t. which will contain the gist of my recommendation., and conclusions, to he followed later by a more voluminous report which will take several months to complete, -aud will he forwarded to the New Zealand Government from Canada. T had hop,-.,! to finish both before leaving, hut the time vdhich th Canadian Government were willing that I should be absent from my important work in North America will not permit of my remaining long enough for that."

" WONDERFULLY PRODUCTIVE.'' *T may say that the wonderfully productive character of the waters r ouud the Dominion has im-prcs-ecd mc greatly," said -the Professor in answer to a question as to bis general impreffion of our fisheries. "The amazing development oi the trout and inland fisheries, especially having regaid to sport, impressed mc in no less a degree. I consider New Zca- j land ought to take a very high place as a commercial fishing country, and that her great repute as a resort for sportsmen should be greatly enhanced in the future if new methods are adopted to extend and develop both the market and the game fish resources of the country." THE PRICE OF FISH. The professor went on to discuss matters affecting the supply of fish in the cities, and said there was a very general belief that the price of fish to the public was far too high. It was also felt that in many centres the supply ■was entirely inadequate. "Auckland is in a better position than most of the New Zealand towns," was the opinion of our guest. "There has been a good deal of enterprise shown here, and the fish supplier have been both excellent in quality and in quantity. There has boon some irregularity in these supplies, and this is a matter which ought to be remedied. So long as this irregularity exists it will tend to keep back the commercial development of the industry." A DEBATABLE POINT. In his report to the Government, Protestor Prince will deal thoroughly with the trawling question. He will go fully into the. whole subject of the. use ol steam methods in place of netting and hand-lining. This matter has been a very prominent one in Great Britain, and most European countries with a sea-board, as well as in Canada aud the United States, and, as the professor observed, requires to be very thoroughly and judiciously dealt with. '-The interests of the large fishing population in New Zealand cannot be ignored," be went on to say, "and there is no doubt that the most advanced methods of catching fish had a great influence in most countries upon the older modes of fishing, such as hand-lining, and the various manual means."

THE TROUT DISEASE. Turning to tibo subject of the deterioration off the imported fish in some of the lakes, iProf. Prince Raid that while at 'RotoTua. he gave .special attention to the epidemic of disease which has affected hue rainbow and brown trout. He discussed very thoroughly with Dr. LReakes and Mr. all the details of their investigations, and devoted a eonsKteraWe time to the study of their specimens and microscopic preparations, which established the fact that the disease was not oue which was intro-d-.iced with the importations of trout f-rorn a.broads but had already afffeted the native fish. '-The source of the trouble undoulvtiedry. arises in s-mue aquatic bird, the shag being especially mentioned' ad the original •host of the parasite." co-mime-nted Prof. Prince, "it [in a well-known aacu *hat; epidemics lot this kind haw «nalt beginnings and . grow to a climax. I Subscqu-autly the epidemic gradually decreases, and may die out altogether. At Rotorua I found that •the climax seems to have ibeern passed, and there is a coneidiera'ble improvement in the fish. I was iiiifonned that th-aTe had been a-n improvement also at Taupe- Though I found qrote a large number of afTeofed fwh when I examined' some s-peckneins a* Tokaanu.' iProfetstir Prince andi Jlr. Aytor- will remain in Auckland until Monday, and then go on down South.