Trout farming

Press, 8 April 1978, Page 12

Trout farming

Sir, — Mr McCormick’s article on trout farming (March 25) is misleading in regard to Mr Isaac’s complex at Harewood. All fish in these ponds are the property of, and under the control of, the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. Mr Isaac has not supplied 16,000 trout fingerlings to the society. Six thousand fingerlings were placed in the ponds by the N.C.A.S. to grow and were later released into local waters. To say that South Island acclimatisation societies have supported Mr Isaac’s project is also misleading. Only Waitaki and Southland have indicated support for Mr Isaac’s trout farming proposals. The last A.G.M. of the N.C.A.S. passed a motion opposing commercial trout farming. The other five societies are all opposed. I am sure Mr Isaac cannot commercially raise trout at a price the housewife can afford, and I doubt the existence of significant export markets. — Yours, etc.. R. M. HENSHAW. March 31, 1978. [Mr Isaac replies: “Mr Henshaw says that only Waitaki and Southland Societies have indicated support for my trout farming proposals, and suggests that I have attempted to mislead. To clarify the situation, I am therefore attaching herewith copies of letters of support from the North Canterbury Society. the South Canterbury Society’, and the press report of rhe Otago Society, which says: ‘The Otago Acclimatisation Society on Thursday night fully supported a proposal by Neil Isaac to go .tnead with a trout farm at Harewood.’ The 1975 annual report of the North Canterbury’ Society records a ieso» lution passed by the society and says: 'An interpretation

would be that this complex should be used for individual societies’ trout needs and that in addition, the society has no objection to a commercial fish farm provided that it is operated within strict governmental controls, and that sportsmen’s interests are completely protected.’' this seems all very reasonable and certainly not misleading. With regard to Mr Henshaw’s claim that the number of fish raised here at Harewood was 6000 and not 16,000, 1 can only suggest that he checks the figures with the chairman of the fish committee. If receiving 16,000 fry (180 to the pound) from Temuka feeding, caring for them and raising them to 20,000 lb of jumping rainbow flesh is not ‘raising fish for the society,’ then we are only playing with words.”]