NETTING OF SALMON

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27643, 27 April 1955, Page 14

NETTING OF SALMON

SOCIETY OUTLINES CONDITIONS REPLY TO ALLEGATION OF GLUT Conditions governing the commercial netting of salmon are outlined in a statement from the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, in reply to a complaint made by D. J. Hughey of S£_ rora “’ a letter to the editor of “The Press.” The correspondent alleges that the local market for salmon has been glutted. The correspondent’s letter is as follows: “The North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society finds it alarming that small boys should stroke-haul for jrout in the Avon. What a wonderful example the society sets these boys. It is not satisfied by meeting the needs of the local market with salmon, but has obviously glutted it, overflow being sent to Wellington, Auckland and Australia. Would the society kindly answer the following Sliest ions? (1) When commercial cences were terminated, did the Marine Department set a limit on the number of fish to be taken by the combined societies? (2) Did not the Marine Department intend that the local market only be satisfied? (3) Does the society consider it has most salmon anglers behind this legalised poaching?” “Presure from anglers, and the efforts made by interested acclimatisation societies were successful in having commercial netting terminated only on the following qpnditions,” says the society in its reply. ‘The Minister of Marine stipulated that a minimum of 750 good conditioned fish were to be made available to the public annually; (2) the fish were to be disposed of through a recognised wholesale market; and (3) the proceeds from the sale of these fish were to be expended by the societies concerned solely in salmon investigation and ranging of the spawning “In 1953 and 1954, the provision of the minimum number required was not easy, bur the phenomenal run this season accounted for the larger total. “The spawn of salmon which enter the Highbank becomes infertile, and the fish themselves are lost to anglers. The society considers it prudent therefore to net the fish, taking some for market and transferring others to permanent water to go upstream to spawn. Anglers will benefit ultimately from the investigations and ranging paid for by the proceeds obtained from the sale of the fish marketed,” the society says.