The Press MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1949. The Fisheries

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25734, 21 February 1949, Page 6

The Press MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1949. The Fisheries

Mr L. R. Richardson. Professor of Zoology at Victoria University College, was unquestionably right when he told the Pacific Science Congress that, for an island people, New Zealanders take deplorably little interest in their fisheries and in the products of the fisheries. His address was notable, however, mainly because it challenged directly the official beliefs about the size of the Dominion's fishery resources, and the practices based on those beliefs. Acute timidity [he said] is hindering our fisheries development. Fear-of exploitation and destruction of our marine resources is largely based on a faulty appreciation of the extent and fertility of our seas. No doubt Professor Richardson’s contention will be questioned, in turn, by those engaged in the industry and by the Marine Department, which supervises and controls the industry. For many years now the whole emphasis has been on conservation and protection. Most of the 200 recommendations of the Sea Fisheries Investigation Committee of 1937-38, which took evidence from a wide and representative cross-section of the industry, either moved to straight-out restrictions on the catch or the methods of fishing or proposed investigation with a view to restrictions. Official belief that New Zealand’s fishinggrounds cannot be fished more intensively without lasting harm is unshakable. Thus a recent report of the Marine Department, warning fishermen against increasing the engine-power of their vessels, referred to “ the fishing power of the “ existing fleet ” at some ports as M already near the danger point In short, both the industry and the department believe that the Dominion’s fishery resources are neither so extensive nor so opulent as Professor Richardson suggests. But they will find it difficult to prove him wrong because there has never been an adequate survey of the fishing-grounds available to New Zealand fishermen. If Professor Richardson’s interesting address serves no other purpose, it will be justified by drawing attention to this fact: that a policy of licensing, control, and restriction of competition, which operates in many ways against the interests of the consuming public, has been founded on theories and beliefs supported by extraordinarily little sure evidence. The Fisheries Investigation Committee emphasised the need to survey the known fishing-grounds and to search for new ones. Successive reports of the former Chief Inspector of Fisheries (Mr A. E. Hefford) both underlined the importance of scientific study and deplored the meagre provision for research into matters of which some knowledge “is essential to the intelligent con- “ trol of fishery operations ”. New Zealand has too long lagged behind other countries in this respect; and it is moving very slowly and haltingly to make up the leeway.