QUINNAT SALMON

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28434, 14 November 1957, Page 7

QUINNAT SALMON

Import Of Spawn Discussed The introduction of fertilised spawn from Canada to bring to the country new. unrelated blood for the quinnat salmon stock would not improve the size and condition of the fish running as these factors were controlled by food supply in the sea, according to a letter received by the council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society last evening. The Internal Affairs Department was replying to a suggestion from the Springs-Ellesmere Sportsmen’s Association referred to it by the society. The letter said the number of quinnat salmon running had been increasing since their introduction to New Zealand and there was no evidence bf fewer salmon running during the 1957 season. The size and average condition of the quinnat in 1957 were poorer than usual and although the condition factor of the small fish was very high it decreased with increasing size. Certain fish contained a common marine parasite, but its occurrence was an effect, rather than a cause of the poor condition. It appeared that the reason for lhe poorness in size and condition was due to a scarcity of food in the sea, “but which particular food animal in the complicated food chain failed, was unknown.