FISH HO!

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 338, 27 October 1908, Page 10

FISH HO!

MR. AYSON'S MISSION. It is not bringing coals to Newcastle to bring herring, cod, haddock, and turbot to New Zealand., There is no New • Zealand herring; there is a fish which bears the namo of the English herring, but ho is not related, and ho does not taste as sweet.- The blue cod of these waters is an excellent fish for his inches, but he is a puny cousin of the stalwart North Sen cod. Haddock onlj comes here frozen, and turbot hardly conies at all. Mr.' L. F. Ayson, Chief Inspector of fisheries, hopes to make these fish at home in New Zealand waters, and, some day, on New Zealand tables. It is by 110 means certain, however, that they can be transported for so great a distance in a live condition. The Marine Department has requested several British experts Dr. I 1 ultoii, Scientific Superintendent of the Fisheries Board of Scotland, Professor Allen, of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and Professor Herdman, of Liverpool, to conduct experiments bearing on this question. The ova might be brought out, as is dona with salmon ova, or adult fish might be brought across : the sea in tanks. It was understood some time ago that the experts gave very little hope of bringiug out the ova safely. It. is not impossible, however, that further experiments may convince them that the thing can .be done. In connection with the importation of salmon ova, .the. Marino Department;'of this country has achieved successes which would not have been thought possible some .years ago. If. it is decided that-the ova of these other fish cannot bo transported, several questions must be solved before an attempt is made to bring out the adult fish alive. It will be necessary to know whether they can be kept in confine-' rnont long enough to bring them here, and if so, what would be the best conditions on board ship, the kind of tanks that should be used, the temperaturo that should be maintained, and the best food to give them on the voyage. Less . than two years ago some edible crabs and crayfish were brought out from England for the Portobello hatcheries,' in Otago. They came out under charge of the chief engineer of the steamer, who knew something about these creatures. They arrived, alive and well, several shipments have followed them to the hatcheries, and a numerous progeny is now assured. Mr. Ayson, who inspected these new immigrants quite recently, states that a very large number of eggs have been obtained this yea.r from tha lobsters, and many of them are hatching oui now. The crabs are also doing well, and as one female crab is estimated to carry between two and three million eggs, the mul« triplication- process, should be a speedy one. Both crabs> and lobsters are being liberated as fast as "they are ready to put out after hatching. It will take some time before our coasts are alive with English crabs and lobsters, but Mr. Ayson is quite confident that the day will come. A fresh shipment of crabs and lobsters was expected to arrive by the Karamea, which reached Port Chalmers at the end: of last week, but for some reason they did not come to hand. In addition to the herring, cod, haddock, and turbot which lie hopes, to import, Mr. Ayson will bring out from England a million Atlantic sa.lmon ova. He will leave for Eng. land by the Athenic 011 November 5. • The turbot, of 'course, is; a rare fish in England. ■