LICENCES FOR FISHING

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22196, 13 September 1937, Page 5

LICENCES FOR FISHING

VALIDITY THROUGHOUT DOMINION ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY MEETS AT TIMARU According to correspondence received at a meeting of the council of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society on Saturday from the Marine Department, a fishing licence, no matter where issued, is valid anywhere in the Dominion. “Some societies have commercialised themselves,” said the chairman (Mr J. McDonald). “They have been robbing their own streams of ova and consequently have been forced to shorten their season.” The chairman added that there were 1000 anglers in South Canterbury, arid the society’s duty was to them first, New Zealand second, and overseas fishermen next. According to the letter, the society was powerless to prevent fishermen from impoverished districts from fishing in its streams. In the course of an address, Mr L. B. James suggested that the society should do what it could to provide food for native birds in and around the South Canterbury district. A letter was read from Mr H. T. Duigan, president of the Wanganui Society, offering assistance, and Mr James expressed the opinion that the local society would do good work if it planted honey-bearing trees as suggested in the letter, as not only would such trees provide food for native birds, but they would also help considerably to beautify the district. It was decided to approach Mr Evans, curator of Peel Forest, to ask him to accept trees to be provided by the society for planting. The report of the curator-ranger (Mr F. Pellett) stated that a total of 673.000 brown trout ova was laid down in the hatching boxes, a total of 605.000 being hatched; 50,000 brown trout fry had been liberated to date in the Ohape and Pareora rivers; 550.000 brown trout fry were awaiting allocation; and 25,000 brown trout eyed ova were sent to the Wellington society. Taupo eyed ova to the number of 100,000 were laid down in the hatching boxes from Scott’s Creek (Lake Alexandrina); 50,000 green ova were sent to the Ashburton society: 150.000 green ova were sent to the Dunedin society and 70,000 fry had been liberated at Lake Alexandrina and 130,000 eyed ova had been liberated at Muddy and Macgregor creeks. A phenominal run of rainbow spawning trout took place in Scott’s creek and 1,000,000 ova could have been collected if necessary. The position was no doubt due to an excess of water coming down Scott’s creek. Complaints that native pigeons had been shot and that firearms had been carried into a scenic reserve at Cannington Gorge were being investi-