MANY DEAD TROUT IN AVON.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 15 September 1930, Page 5

MANY DEAD TROUT IN AVON.

PRESENCE OF OIL SUSPECTED, j The presence of a taftP uumber of dead trout in ths Avon on Saturday 4 Las caused the North Canturh'Uiy Acclimatisation Society much concern. According to Mr 0. W. Hervey, secretary to the society, hundreds of tip dead fish could be Mien floating down the river. Several members of the council of the society conducted a tour of inspection, and finally took frofflr the water three of the dead fish. These will be examined with a view to finding the cause of their death. Discussing the matter with Mr Hervey, ahd with Mr D. Hope# tb« society's curator, yesterday, a reporter of The Press was told that this was the third time that the trottt Jiad suffered. The "killings" came in cycles and were, evidently due to some deleterious matter in the water. Oil in the river was BOmetimeß responsible for great mortality among the fish; when the trout came to the surface to feed their gills became choked. For an instance of this it was only necessary to turn to Lyttelton Harbour, where quite recently numbers of (Mad fish were seen floating about, killed hy oil. Mr Hervey said that several members of the council of the society, including Messrs S. F. Barnett, W. O. Ronnie, C.~ R. Clark, and GL T. Robinson, Mr Hope, and himself, made an itt« spection of the river on Saturday. They took out three of the dead trout,; and Mr D. F. Hobbs, chairman of the Research Committee, will examine and report on them Mr Hope pointed out that ,it not possible to' make a thorough examination of the river on Saturday, as it wa* not clear,' owing to - the recent rains. To-day, however, he hoped to find the water lest muddy, ana steps-would be taken to find out at what part of the river the deleterious matter was entering.