MARKETING OF FISH

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25276, 30 August 1947, Page 10

MARKETING OF FISH

19,000 TONS LAST YEAR LARGER CATCHES AT . LYTTELTON More than 19,000 tons of fish were marketed in New Zealand last year. The total weight landed was the highest for many years, and the total value increased by £101,692 to £660,096. Reasons for the good catches given by the Chief Inspector of Fisheries (Mr M. W. Young) in the Marine Department’s anfiual report are the return of several large boats after war service, new engines, and the replacement of many vessels after the war, and exceptionally fine weather on many of the fishing grounds during the seasonal congregation of some of the more important types of fish. Other fishery products marketed last year, and their value, were: whitebait, 328 tons (£73,674); dredged-oysters, 89,356 sacks (£67,017); rock oysters, 5103 sacks (£8933); mussels, 10,568 sacks ,(£3687); crayfish, 838 tons (£30,801);' canned toheroa, 30 tons (£4567); whale oil, 700 tons (£21,000). The total value of these products and the fish was £869,775. The total landings of fish increased by 2427 tons over the previous year’s total of 16,588 tons, while the total value increased by £101,692. The quantity of oysters dredged from Foveaux Strait"increased by 13,318 sacks, and there was a decrease of 373 sacks in the quantity of rock oysters. The total weight of crayfish increased by 42 tons, but the mussel figures showed a decline of 2588 sacks. . Snapper is still the most abundant species of fish off the New Zealand coast, and 5841 tons or 30.72 of the total, were- landed last year. Tarakihi was next oa the list with 3896 tons, and hapuku third with 1376 tons. Gurnard, sole, blue cod, flounder, ling, and barracouta followed, while frost fish was at the bottom of the list, only 4cwt being taken last yean The total catch landed at Lyttelton was 770 tons, an increase of 1981 tons compared with the 1945 total of 571$ tons, which, however, was an exceptionally. low figure. Of the total last year, 576 tons came from the motor trawlers and 182 J tons from the one steam trawler. Tardkihi was the mail* catch, 3541 tons being landed. Other main types landed, and the Quantities, were: ling (1061 tons), elepnant fish (90 tons), gurnard (63 tons), red cod (10 tons). Fish landed in smaller quantities included sole, flounder, trumpeter, barracouta, conger eel, hake, herring, kahawai, moki, perch, pioke, skate, snapper and whiting.