SALMON INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 175, 12 April 1923, Page 7

SALMON INDUSTRY

FISHERMEN ASK LEAVE TO NET RIVERS. BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Dunedin, April 11. . A deputation representing the Port Chalmers Fishermen’s Union waited on the Hon. G. J. Anderson this afternoon and asked that certain portions of the rivers in which quinuat salmon aro found should be thrown open for netting for commercial purposes. Mr. Anderson said that this country did not know what it owed to Mr. Ayson, who had been most successful in the acclimatisation of quinnat salmon, which wan largely a commercial fish- Mr. Ayson had. also been successful in acclimatising the Atlantic salmon, which he (Mr. Anderson) thought was very much choicer than quinnat. He had also rejuvenated the oyster beds at Auckland, and the Department was now . making a few thousand pounds a year by selling the oysters. What the deputation had asked for was a very difficult proposition, and he was not prepared to express an opinion on it at present because he would have to consult the Hon. W. D. Stewart. He had told Mr. Ayson to do what was necessary to test the’’ practicability of putting quinnat salmon on the market, and that course had been adopted, bui. unfortunately there was not the run of fish this year that there was last year, and they had been disappointed. They had thrown the season open to give fishermen a chance to catch the fish, but the result had not been what was expected. .The officers of the Departs inent were anxious to .assist in. every possible direction, and they were not going to put any unnecessary obstacles in the way of making the salmon industry a commercial success. They, would have to watch the industry, however, and some restrictions would b< necessary.