Importance Of Estuary In Flounder Fishing

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31316, 11 March 1967, Page 16

Importance Of Estuary In Flounder Fishing

The Estuary played an important part in commercial flounder fishing, and a barrier across its mouth would affect the number of flounder in known fishing grounds, said the Marine Department’s scientific officer in Christchurch (Mr A. R. Mundy) yesterday. He said a programme of flounder tagging, which had been stopped, showed that about 1000 fish tagged in the Estuary had been found in fishing areas 10 miles off the mouths of the Ashley and Waimakariri rivers, and 20 miles south-east of Timaru. “A barrage across the mouth of the Estuary, as has been proposed, could have a marked effect, and would probably result in a decrease in the number of fish caught by commercial trawlers,” Mr Mundy said. The flounder-tagging programme had now been stopped to allow the results of the last four years of field work to be written up, and an appraisal made so that further studies could be planned, said the Marine Department’s administration officer (Mr J. D. Wisker). Mr Mundy said that the first phase of the tagging programme was in in-shore areas in the Estuary, and in Lyttelton and Akaroa harbours. Information on growth rates, population, rate of fishing, and other matters was sought As a result of tagging, movement of fish to known fishing areas was confirmed. The second part of the programme, involving the chart ering of four commercial fishing boats, had now ceased. Mr Mundy said this had been an instruction from the head office in Wellington. However, two boats were still being chartered for use by Mr A. Coakley, of the department. These were the

Marewa, of Lyttelton, and the Dauntless, of Timaru. They were being used on an ele-phant-fish survey. Mr Mundy said he had worked on his flounder project with Mr Coakley. Another Lyttelton boat and one from Akaroa, previously used, were no longer being chartered, he added. Mr Mundy is at present working on a thesis for a Ph.D. at the University of Canterbury. Asked for details of the movement of flounder into and out of the Estuary, he said the tagging programme had not progressed far enough for him to answer this question. Mr Wisker added that although tagging had now ceased, the department was still paying reward money for any tagged flounders returned to it.