WHITEBAIT SEASON

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29994, 1 December 1962, Page 10

WHITEBAIT SEASON

Poor Runs In Buller (From Our Own Reporter) WESTPORT, Nov. 30. The whitebait fishing season which ended in the Buller district today, November 30, is believed to be the worst on record.

There were hopes early in September, when some fair catches were made in the Orowaiti and later in the Buller river, that the season would be a profitable one for the hundreds of people who make it a hobby and business during the three months of the season. But after that there were only Isolated “ •’.bs” and not one of the big runs of former years when some, in favoured positions, were known to take up to 2001 b of whitebait on some days. A fortnight ago there was a very mild run for three days, giving promise of late rewards for an otherwise very disappointing period, but the supply soon ran out. The failure of the whitebait to run is a serious financial reverse to those who annually arrange fishing places i along the main streams and the “Christmas bonus” this year will be the smallest on record. ! It has been estimated that the turnover in recent years I has averaged about £20,000. 1 but this season it did not reach an eighth of that sum. Instead of Buller people being able to send parcels of whitebait to friends in Canterbury, some had even to ! appeal to the latter to provide the only taste of the fish lin the season from supplies received from Canterbury and South Westland rivers.