MONEY NEEDED
FISHERIES OF NEW ZEALAND
QUINNAT AND OYSTERS
"There is plenty of money for horseracing and for studying the latest beauties from Hollywood, but there is simply no interest in marine biological research," said Mr A. E. Hefford, Chief Inspector of Fisheries for the Marine Department, who arrived in Christchurch from the south last evening. Mr Hefford said that until the public took some interest in the subject, money would not be forthcoming. Mr Hefford has just completed a visit of inspection to the quinnat salmon hatcheries conducted by the department at Hakataramea and _ on the Upukororo river, which flows into Lake Te Anau. The hatcheries have not yet started their season's work, but are expecting to begin at any time now. It is simply a matter of waiting till conditions in the rivers become suitable. The department is year by year supplied with data on quinnat salmon fisheries by holders of selling licenses for both rod and net, and as this year's figures are not yet complete, Mr Hefford could make no comment on the disappointing fishing that anglers and professional fishermen have had. He said, however, that considering that in March, the height of the salmon season, conditions in all rivers were good, the season was a disappointing one. There might be something in the theory held by many anglers that the rivers were too clear, because salmon were very shy fish, and unless they found some sort of cover, they traveiled rapidly. The Rangitata mouth had probably returned poor bags because owing to changes in the bed of the river there was no resting place for salmon coming into the river, and they naturally travelled on upstream. Salmon fishery The data on quinnat salmon fisheries in New Zealand is at present very meagre. The department reli'S on returns from holders of licenses, of which not many are issued. Anglers, to whom the department has appealed to send in scales and measurements of fish they catch, Live not responded very well. "Until we get the wherewithal to make a continual study, we will not know a great deal more," said Mr Hefford. who added that it would be very difficult to study the conditions met by salmon during their life as sea fish. Many factors, such as the abundance or scarcity of such fish as barracoula and kahuwai affected the possibility of survival of young salmon, and thus influenced salmon runs in later years. In many other countries data of this sort was available through research which amounted to a sea census It was possible in England for instance to forecast good and bad years for the herring fishery, because information was available on the success of tiie spawning season for a few years back, the prevalence of fish preying on herrings, and many other conditions which were becoming more and more understood. Mr Hefford spoke of the need for a thorough survey of the marine fishery resources of New Zealand, and said that an Auckland company had embarked on a fishery venture, and had attracted a certain amount of capital without having any adequate scientific knowledge of the resources they proposed to exoloit. Surveys were made in 1902, 1907, and 1908, but since then no attempt had been made to investigate the fisheries. The department made a survey of the Hauraki Gulf in 1927, and after that survey was able to close certain areas, which were well-known spawning grounds, during the periods when fish were spawning there, with ultimate profit to the fisheries of the Gulf. Research was a great help to fishery administration in that it threw needed light on the subject. Oyster Cultivation A most, successful activity of the department has been the cultivation of rock oysters in the Auckland district. This fishery is conducted on commercial lines, and has provided much useful information to the Department. Mr Hefford described the control by the Department as a tremendous advantage to the rational exploitation of the fishery, as picking could be directed from one centre, and shortages or gluts on the market avoided. The greatest difficulty the Department met was that the quality of the oysters grown varied from place to place. A distinction was now made in the price of oysters from various localities. An interesting development in this direction was the establishment of Foveaux Strait oysters in Auckland. The enterprise was in the hands of a private individual, and had been functioning for about a year. The attempt had shown that Foveaux Strait oysters could live and fatten in northern waters, but whether they would reproduce satisfactorily remained to be seen. Attempts have from time to time been made to export oysters from New Zealand by other methods than canning. Mr Hefford said that these attempts had not yet developed into a trade, but he had no doubt that in the future oysters would be exported i egularly. Canned New Zealand oysters compared favourably with those .1? , an , y counU 'y the world. Mr He.)oi d had no information on the export of whitebait in ice, but said i 10 was ,!0 reason why the fish siiould not be so exported. Fish tha? was properly frozen and properly stored would keep indefinitely.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21147, 24 April 1934, Page 11
Word Count
869MONEY NEEDED Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21147, 24 April 1934, Page 11
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