SALMON SEASON.

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22081, 1 May 1937, Page 14

SALMON SEASON.

Commercial Returns From Netting

ONLY THREE LICENCES ISSUED Some interesting details about th« runs of salmon, the normal season for fishing for which closed yesterday, were made available yesterday to a reporter of "The Press" by Mr " A. E. Hefford, Chief Inspector of Fisheries for the Marine, Department. A special permit may be obtained from the Marine Department to allow salmon to.be taken for commercial purposes up to May 15. The figures are not yet complete, but progress returns show that for March 104 fish were taken from .the Waimakariri by two nets. No commercial fishing returns were received from this river. One netting licence was issued for the Rakaia this season, but Mr Hefford doubted whether any fish were " caught, and mentioned that he would not be surprised to learn that such was the case. In February thret rods took 46 "fish from this river, but in March only two rods were ; out, and the total fish caught in- • creased to 144. In the Rangitata much the samt „ , increase is shown in the March figures compared with the February ' totals. In the second month of the ' year four rods took 54 fish, but with an extra rod in March, 131 fish wert ' Good Sport in Waitaki Mr Hefford further stated that ~ there were no definite records for ■ the Waitaki as there were no holdera of selling licences operating there. •!, He had received advice, however,. ; that the fishing in the Waitaki had , been particularly productive, and that very few anglers fishing the v > Waitaki had had blank days whereas . many had landed scores of fish. ;-.; It is not hard to understand why ... the netting in the Rakaia produced , , no results. The water at the mouth.*.: is very broken, and though forming good pools for anglers, it is not . 1 water suitable for the use of nets. ■ Further, the Rakaia has recently d* . come firmly established as the fav- > ourite river for salmon fishermen, , and with the crowds that gather on the banks when there is a good run there is little room for anyone with Both commercial methods of .; taking salmon need special licences,l:f and reference to the Customs .Department in Christchurch showed that there had been three netting, licences issued for the season, involving a total receipt by the Government of £ls. The. taking of salmon by rod for sale requires a licence fee of £ 1 in addition to the. . normal fishing licence fee, and of - these special licences six were issued during the season, making a total revenue for the Government of £2l for the season. . " Further reports received substantiate Mi- Hefford's remarks about the excellence of the fishing in the-'WaitSe? taki. So far it appears that the. hydro-electric dam has had no serious effect on the number of salmon obtainable in this 1 river. A continued watch on the river during the next two or three seasons should establish whether there will be any lasting damage through the building of the dam. -"' " The, Waimakariri has seemed to be the most disappointing river for salmon this year, and the further south the better the runs have been. .. The Rakaia has been better than the standards of the last two or three . seasons, and many gqod catches havs been taken regularly from the Rangitata. '