Small Crayfish

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32302, 21 May 1970, Page 22

Small Crayfish

<NZ. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 20.' Otago fishermen are convinced they have a race of pygmy crayfish on their coast. But the Marine Department is not wholly convinced.

A discussion on Otago crayfish sizes arose today before the Parliamentary Select Committee on the fishing Industry when submissions were heard on behalf of four Otago fishermen’s associations.

Fishermen on the Otago coast are allowed to take smaller crayfish than on other coastlines round New Zealand. The Otago minimum is seven inches, compared with the normal 10 inches. The committee wanted to know why the crayfish round the Otago coast were so small that the normal size

limits could not apply. One of two fishermen giving submissions, Mr L. E. Anderson, said it might be because they were a pygmy race.

But Mr D. Eggleston, a departmental officer, told the committee: “There is no biological evidence of a pygmy race. They seem to have the same ability to reach normal size.” The fishermen submitted that there was a greater need for policing the crayfish area. They said there were several “pirates” operating just south of the area on the coast last season.

These, Mr Anderson said, were Bluff-based boats catching 7in crayfish and transferring them to Port Chalmers boats which could land them without questions being asked.