OUR FIRST SALMON TROUT

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1938, Page 27 (Supplement)

OUR FIRST SALMON TROUT

Scotland's 'Giftie To New Zealand

When bringing nnder universal notice the attractions of this beautiful country, we never fail to mention our trout fishing. In fact, yisitors frankly tell us that one of the lures is the anticipation of fishing, and in this respect we never fail them. Our lakes and gurgling streams abound with speckled tnmt, but the fine Milmon trout of which we are now so proud is the result of a New Year gift to New Zealand froiu Scotland.

During the C.'liril mas of the year o\or tif) years ago. a terrible

storm swept over Scotland, causing many vessels to take shelter, whilst thn<;e about to sail were delayed until the weather abated. Among the

latter was a ship named the Timaru, just fresh from the builders' hands and lying alongside before making her maiden voyage. Her destination was New Zealand. The vessel was up to sail on New Year's Day, and was carrying a token of goodwill from Scotland to kinsmen in but some delay occurred owing to the

storm, and tlie Timaru did not get away until a week later. Her freight was certainly a strange one, #nd upon which many hopes were centred. Constructed on deck was an "icehouse," or huge ice-ehest as we might term it nowadays, safely enclosed in which were 100 small cases packed iil rows, alternated with two feet of packed ice. I 11 these cases were 20D,000 S a 1 in on eggs for delivery at the Hlii IT. The cases measured a foot e ac li way, and weighed about •'fib apiece. The eggn were carefully arranged between the layers of damp moss used for protection, and were un-

packed in perfect condition when the vessel arrived at her destination about the end of March, 187.").

Nearly a quarter of a million eggj for 18.000 miles' journey, and the Scottish clipper made it in safety. The ova was collected by Mr. Frank Buckland from the rivers Forth. Tav, 'J «'wil, Teith arid smaller streams. J lie Scots, in reckoning nut the valu? of their "gift ie." put it as follows: "If each egg becomes a salmon 101!> a verape weight, there will be 2.004).(HH)1b of fish, which at a conservative price of ]/ pp r ])>. will be worth £100.000 cash from eirgs which when taken from the water were not worth as many pence." Continuing with the speculative argument, the Scot says; '"But these fish, when hatched, will Ik? retained for breeding purposes, and in a few a ears, this gift of 200.(MX) egirs, will have become a mighty nation of fish, which no man can number, and of which the ultimate value will be incalculable.''

The idea of packing the ova in icu was to retard the development, which would then he only partially advanced towards hatching at the time or landing in New Zealand; the ovu usually taking from SO to I<M) davcto hatch out. It is interesting to note that each adult salmon lay> up to 1000 eggs to every p. mini of her weight. Jll :i healthy condition the egos are pinky />r aiut>er in colour, and with beautiful opalescent hue*, semi-transparent and gem-like in appearance. Sometimes, however, the eggs are pale, nearly white in colour, while other* are of a bright coral red —hut all possessing a transparent iridescent line, and not a dull colour, are healthy. Instead of the brittle ehell of an ordinary egg. we find it replaced by a tough membrane, which covers the whole egg. If the egg be dropped on to a hard floor it will rebound and remain uninjured.

The shell substance is extreme!;, elastic, and t ;ie salmon egg w... i"oi »<i:i n 4 l like a goif bail. ] '>r some time there is no appar '"'it change in tin 1 healthy eg~. Thfi an ojiaijiic pateii develops and th : - is the iii'iiinninir il f t ;ir> vming fi.-h I wo p:n points nt Ma.-k apifar. a. 1 :: they will inT.i the eve?. Xnri:. al!v aimir,. 4f> days a The czz laid the ynini;' salmon is hatched. Ihas no proper mouth and the ez? iattaehed to the underside of tV body. The little fish is not able t take food, hut li\e>; on the nouriih--ment from the volk. As it yrowc and the vnlk is tifel up, tlie egi r sae shrivels. It eontinu-v to do so till ij has d i-appeare ! entirely, and the little creature ha - much the i-ame appearance a? a fu::frown lisli. the eg.tr mc is alworbr-'l in ju.-t the same way as the tail ~■ the tadpole when it* changes into a frog.

In the esse of this shipment from Scotland to New Zealand, the ice method o t packing had proved effective and no development had taken place up to the time the ova watransferred to the tanks awaiting receptionIt would be interesting to relaln just how final dispersal took place, hut at tintime of recordiir,' these facts, no re liable information i s available. I visited the hafHiery at Lake Kani eri in the earlv 'nineties, and pooil work was then in progress. Sever:. 1 other important hatcheries were in existence at thi later date, and it is presumed that the spawn camt from Dune din.