TROUT AND SALMON

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27476, 9 October 1954, Page 9

TROUT AND SALMON

Occurrence In Many Countries

A NEW ZEALANDER’S OBSERVATIONS

(Specially Written for "The Press") [By R. F. STEAD]

Mr Stead, who recently returned to Christchurch from a visit to the United Kingdom, the Continent and the United States, made a study while abroad of sporting fish resources in many countries. In this article he reports on his observations and-makes some suggestions of interest to New Zealand anglers and acclimatisation societies.

Europe is unfortunately situated as a regards trout and salmon because most c of the good fishing areas are all in o the high country of Europe, such as the s French High Alps. Switzerland. Aus- g tria. etc. All these areas, being removed from the sea, are thus deprived q of the advantages of any sea run fish. / While the watersheds of these valleys k abound in clear alpine streams, the E water is contaminated as it passes s through the plains and towns to the f sea. s Most of the mountainous areas ' abound in varieties of trout, in- I eluding the brown trout (Salmo trutta) which does so well in New Zealand { waters. Unfortunately, the fishing in j these countries could not be described J as attractive, since most of the trout : are only a few inches long. Perhaps J their numbers and the scenery may J in some degree compensate for this. ‘ The visiting angler will probably see j, his largest trout in the glass tanks < of the restaurants and big department j stores in cities like Zurich or Inns- ( bruck. Here they are often used as . items for menus. , The British Isles, Ireland, and Nor- . way have a similar range of trout and j salmon, and, because of their/climate, j have extensive river systems draining into the Atlantic Ocean. The brown j trout is the chief inhabitant of the • inland waters. These fish would av- ■ erage between Jib and 11b, but in ] many areas, such as Loch Corrib in ■ Southern Ireland, the average is con- < siderably higher. In Scotland, where the loch water is sweetened by the i presence of limestone, some of the < trout in the vicinity of Cape Wrath 1 and Altnahawa on the Naver attain : a weight of over five pounds. Some importance in this area is attached to i the acidity of the loch water, as the 1 growth of larger trout appears to be 1 in nroportion to the lowness of acid- ' ity. There is a very fine run of sea trout : up most of the rivers. These fish move about in the saltwater estuaries and bays during the summer and commence their run in the autumn. In appearance, they resemble a herring, being long, thin, and very silvery; their flesh is red. They weigh between £lb to , lib, but there are always some larger ‘ fish. The sea trout are noted and so are keenly sought after, particularly in the outer islands of the Hebrides, Orkneys and Shetlands. Atlantic Salmon The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) runs in large numbers in all of the suitable rivers of the area described. Mainly on the east coast of Scotland and in Norway, there is a spring run; and in the west of Scotland an autumn run, while in Ireland the fish run throughout the season during suitable periods of river freshes. These Atlantic salmon are perhaps the finest sporting fish of all, for in normal water they are caught on heavy trout rods, with jnedium casts and flies, fished downstream just below the surface. The Norwegians rather spoilt their rivers by the continued netting and poaching of their runs of Atlantic salmon. Nearly all the rivers of these countries are privately owned and are leased out in beats—most of the average salmon waters cost £1 a day a beat, but all the better beats cost about £5 a day or more. A considerable amount of the trout fishing is let go free. It is illegal to fish for salmon in Scotland on Sunday. The Atlantic salmon have an advantage over the Pacific salmon that we have in New Zealand in that they do not ■ necessarily die after spawning. Iceland has an excellent run of AtI lantic salmon, which come into the clear glacier and lake-fed rivers with [ great regularity; in fact, their annual i appearance varies only to within days. ; There is also a run of sea trout in ■ Iceland. The summer days in this > country are so long that at night it • scarcely darkens. The fisherman is . always accompanied by the midges and [ mosquitoes that are so prevalent in s lands lying almost on the Arctic i Circle. ; Greenland has sea trout in the southern portion—in the sea bays, but no run of salmon. North American Waters Eastern Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador —all have a run of Atlantic salmon and have trout, both brown trout and rainbow trout (Salmo iridens) and speckled trout (Salvelinus fontenalis). The fishing in most places is free, with the exception of certain rivers in Eastern Canada. However, the licence fee, cost of access, guides and boats make an expedition to these areas fairly expensive. The United States has adopted a “free for all’’ policy for trout and salmon fishing, with the result that in many placed the trout fishing is now spoilt. In the trout rivers of the King’s I Canyon area it is not unusual to see one angler a pool, with the result that, as one angler said, “It has been seven years now since I’ve caught enough trout for breakfast.” The trout are mostly tiny—just a few inches long. In fact, to get good trout fishing now in the United States it is the accepted thing to have to “pack in” to the more remote areas of the Rockies. Now, for the first time, the rivers I are emptying into the Pacific OceanJ

ind the species of salmon and trout change. The salmon are all varieties )f the Oncorhynchus family and the ;ea run trout, steelhead (Salmo jairdnerii). All the suitable rivers of the area in juestion, from San Francisco to Alaska, have runs of salmon and steellead. The various runs of salmon, desending on whether they are pink sockeye, chum, spring, or coho, run 'rom early spring to late autumn. The steelhead runs from early to late winter only—and spawns during this period. The run of steelhead is larger than may be imagined—on September 15 this year on the Bonneville dam, Lower Columbia river, while half a million salmon had passed up the fish ladder, 166.000 steelhead had also ascended—a ration of about three salmon to one steelhead. The steelhead is a magnificent fish, bright silver, weighing from 31b to 201 b, and a world renowned fighter. It has no resemblance to a rainbow trout on emerging from the sea. but on ascending the rivers to spawn, it develops a red line along its side and acquires rainbow markings, for which reason it is known as a “sea run rainbow.” As the steelhead runs in mid winter, it ascends streams which are carrying a full capacity of winter water, and which, during the summer it could not possibly ascend. It provides the best sport for fishermen of all the fish concerned. Comparatively little salmon fishing is done in the rivers, it is nearly all carried out in the river estuaries and bays by trolling and deep fishing with spoons. The largest salmon is the spring salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), known also as King salmon, Tyee or Chinook, which average 101 b to 501 b. with odd fish of up to 801 b and more. The numbers that can be taken by fishermen and in nets is very strictly limited here. In most places a limit of five at sea and three in the rivers l is the maximum number a day an angler may take. Commercial Fishing Commercially, the Fishery Commissioners, after years of research, have determined that the optimum time for the closing down of fisheries is at the height of the main run, and not early or late in the season. This year, at the mouth of the Fraser river, after 9.000,000 salmon had been netted in that vicinity, all fishing was stopped until an estimated 1.500,000 spawning fish had passed up the river, after which the season was reopened. The netting is so efficient that while it is in progress at the mouths of the rivers it forms almost a complete block to the fish trying to pass' up stream. It is strange that while there are five or six varieties of salmon in big numbers m Canada, some rivers unaccountably seem to be the home of only two or so of these varieties. In addition to very strict supervision of netting periods, and limits of five, and (in many areas) three salmon a day a rod, there are State hatcheries which raise millions of young salmon annually. No dams across rivers in Western America or Canada are constructed without fish ladders, if there is a run of salmon in the rivers concerned. New Zealand Whitebait . The Canadian idea of fish conversation at the height of the run could well be applied to the run of whitebait m this country, which undoubtedly would benefit more by a closing in mid-season than the season at present fixed. It might well be worth while for the Acclimatisation Societies to consider the importation of ova of some of the overseas fish. It was almost during the sailing ship days when most ova was freely brought to New Zealand—taking months m transit. Now, when travel from Canada, say, takes two days, could we not try again with such fish as the Atlantic salmon, English sea trout, and Canadian steelhead. Imagine the benefits of a run of steelhead from May to Augustmagnificent fish of up to 201 b, readily caught on a fly, and appearing at a time when there is no other river fishing. If these fish ran here, as they do in Western America, they would not only run up the larger rivers, but also, because the rivers would be carrying full winter volume, rivers such as (in Canterbury) the Opihi, Hinds, Ashley, Waipara, and Conway. Some trout ova have recently been sent from England to Dr. J. E. Hamilton. Stanley, Falkland Islands. These islands lie nearer the Antarctic than New Zealand; and it is interesting to note that they consider the importation of trout from England both advantageous and practicable.