N.Z. FISHERIES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18264, 24 December 1924, Page 10

N.Z. FISHERIES.

BRITISH EXPERT . APPOINTED. ISrECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON, December 23. The importance of dealing with the New Zealand fisheries under the best export advice obtainable has been realised hv the Government, and some timeaso it was decided to call for applications with a view to selecting a man of scientific attainments and practical experience to take charge of the. salt and fresh water fisheries of the Dominion. In response to advertisements in various papers a very large number ot applications were received, and, alter fully considering them, it lias been decided to appoint Mr A. E. Hefford for a ]>eriod of two years at a. salary of -£7oG a year. . Mr Hefrord, who is a M.Sc. of the University of Wales, has had very great experience in connexion with British and foreign fisheries, both as a scientist and from the practical side. In 1910 he was naturalist on the scientific staff of the Fisheries Department, England. He was engaged in the North Sea fisheries investigations, and later in the inshore investigations, and in connexion with fresh water work. Since 1923 he has been in charge of the Fresh Water Fisheries Experimental Station at Arlesford, Hants. For some considerable time he has been studying fish diseases and river ecology, with special reference to pollution. Amongst liia previous appointments was that of assistant naturalist to the Marine Biological Association for National Fisheries Investigation in the North Sea, and ho was fisheries naturalist on the staffs of the Plymouth Laboratory of the Marine Biological Association. Ho has also acted as District Inspector of Fisheries on the Nortb-East Coast, and in 1921-22 was lent to the Government of Bombay as marine biologist ' for trawling and survey work. Mr Hefford has also made investigations into the methods, material, personnel, and productiveness of fishing and associated industries, such as netmaking, ice-making, fish, curing and canning, and fish meal manufacture. He has been on trolling operations in the Arabian Sea, and has been to Sweden and Norway to study the brine freezing methods of those countries. He has had experience of trawling off the British coast, and also of hand line and long line fishing. Those who are interested in the naturalisation of salmon in New Zealand waters will be interested to know that in England he has organised the collection and supervised the reading of salmon scales by means of which the interesting life history of these anodromous fishes has gradually become known. Ho also organised a scheme for the netting and marking of smolts and kelts, a system that has also added considerably to our knowledge of salmon both "in Atlantic and m Pacific waters. Mr Hefford's various publications on fish and fisheries are well known.