SEA FISHERIES REPORT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22484, 19 August 1938, Page 14

SEA FISHERIES REPORT

♦ CHIEF INSPECTOR’S COMMENT DIFFICULTIES OF THE INDUSTRY “EXPLOITATION OUT-PACING CONSERVATION” [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August 18. “The report does not present a particularly gratifying picture of our fishery resources, nor of our exploitation of {hem, nor of our administration of fishery affairs,” says the report of the Chief Inspector of 1 Fisheries, Mr A. E. Hefford, which is contained in the annual report of the Marine Department,- which was presented to the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Hefford’s reference was to the report of the committee which, under the chairmanship of Mr J. Thorn, M.P., investigated , the of New Zealand, and reported earlier this year. The chief inspector states that the report was the first comprehensive survey of the Dominion’s marine resources ever undertaken; -but states also that there is probably not a country in the world to-day that has any more cause for satisfaction than New Zealand has in contemplation of its general sea fishery conditions. “The main reason for this,” says Mr Hefford, “is that the age of virgin fishing grounds is gone. This is a hard fact that is being faced from Vancouver to Vladivostok, and from Aberdeen to Auckland—that it is not as easy as it used to be to bring in large quantities of fish, and the expenses of gathering and bringing to market the harvests of the sea are much larger than they were formerly. Consequently catchers, distributors, and consumers of fish are all in difficulties.

. Meeting Difficulties “The difficulties are being coped with in various ways. Catchers are making their fishing gear still more efficient, and are extending the range of their operations by building bigger and more powerful fishing vessels. By adopting improved methods for the preservation of fresh fish they are endeavouring to get better prices by bringing iheir produce to market m better condition —and this is perhaps the most rational remedy of all. Parts of fish that were formerly waste are now being utilised in various ways. Modern methods of publicity to attract more consumers are being widely adopted. None of these things is bringing about, or, in my opinion, is likely to bring about, a return to the low retail prices of former years. T The fundamental requirements for the exercise of a wise and just control of fishery exploitation is an adequate acquaintance with, and proper practical understanding of conditions with reference to fisnery resources themselves, and agencies concerned in getting and disposing of their pro-, ducts. It is unfortunately a fact that a substantial amount of State intervention for the regulation of the operations of the fishery industry has been called for before that adequate acquaintance with, and proper understanding of conditions have been acquired, and this department is called upon to make special efforts in order to catch up in a race in which exploitation has so far out-paced, and out-distanced conservation. ’

THE CATCH LAST YEAR QUANTITY LESS; VALUE HIGHER DEPARTMENT’S ANNUAL REPORT [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August 18, Landings of fish reached, at £524,820, a higher value during the year ended March 31, 1938. than in a ny_ye a r since 1929-30, although the quantity landed was slightly smaller than it was last year, according to figures given in the annual report of the Marine Depart- 1 ment, which was presented to the House of Representatives to-day. “Each class shows an increase in total value, with the exception of mussels, toheroa, and whale products,’.’ states the report. “Wet fish, that is, ordinary kinds of A-’- that are caught in the sea by nets and lines, show a decline in total quantity, having fallen from 363,128cwt in 1936-37 to 355,687cwt in 1937-38, a decline of 7441cwt. or about 2 per cent. Their total value, however, has risen by 14.7 per cent, above the 1936-37 figure of £360,466, and is the highest total since 1929-30.” The report states that crayfish landings increased in quantity by 37.8 per cent., and in value by 52.4 per cent. Whitebait catches increased by 60 per cent, in quantity, and 90 per cent, in value. Landings of Bluff oysters increased by 5 per cent, over last year’s record figure of 63,412 sacks, with a rise of 21 per cent, in total value. Rock oysters showed an increase of 4.2 per cent in quantity and 4.2 per cent in value. Salmon Catches Quinnat salmon catches, from three nets in the Waimakariri Estuary, increased by 48.4 per cent, on the previous year’s total weight, which was the lowest on record, with a corresponding rise in values. Commercial landings of mussels dropped from 10,415 sacks to 7411 sacks, their total value being 33 per cent, lower than in the previous year. The total pack of toheroa products declined from 104,9361b to 48,5581b, but the figures reflected the industrial or commercial rather than the natural conditions of production. The quantity of whale oil produced by the Queen Charlotte Sound station remained the same as for the previous season, but the value was 10 per cent, lower than last year. “An examination of the more local aspects of the fishing industry during the year shows that a diminution of 7441cwt in the total catch of wet fish for the Dominion is exceeded by the decline in the year’s landings for Auckland,” states the report. “These landings fell from 159,371cwt to 140,234cwt. Supplies of fish to this port, however, still exceed those at any other fishing centre, and this year constitute 39 per cent, of the total landings for the Dominion.”