EELS FOR EXPORT

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 133, 1 March 1929, Page 5

EELS FOR EXPORT

SOME ASTOUNDING FACTS POSSIBILITY OF AN INDUSTRY Will an export trade in eels ever become one of the important industries of the Dominion? was the question asked by a delegate at the conference of fish culturists, which concluded yesterday morning. There was no restriction upon the taking of eels in this country, said Mr. A. E. Hefford (Chief Inspector of Fsheries), except, possibly, in places where it form; ed the principal food supply of the Maori population. In these instances eel-fish-ing on a large scale would be contrary to the provisions of the Treaty of Waitangi. An extraordinary description of “runs of eels in the Wairarapa was given by Mr. J. G. Miller, of the Wellington Acclimatisation District. Three times he had seen them making their yearly migration seaward, and in one occasion had caught 1500. First in the “run” came the “hau,” a small eel which was a great favourite with the Maoris. Five went to the pound, and they were always the same length. Should the lower reaches of the lake be stocked at migration time, advantage was taken of a westerly wind to build a trench by night, so that the water passed along it, and then disappeared into the sand. Along this trough would be left a “slithering mass of eels.” This run, said Mr. Miller, started in April, and usually lasted about a fortnight, xhe fish were silvery-white in colour, and their white flesh made very good eating. At one time there had been a canning factory in the locality, and thes.e were the species of fish which had been utilised. There was another variety of eel, smaller, and bronze-backed, which followed in another “run.” This was not eaten by the natives. . , . Altogether, the Maoris reckoned that there were seven “runs” in a season. The largest type of all, ranging from about 251 b. to 401 b., did not come until about the-middle of May. He thought that it would be a great thing for the country if a canning industry could be put on a solid footing. t t . Why these small eels went to sea at all, said Mr. Hefford, was an interesting question. He was inclined to believe that it was a spawning migration, as he was pretty certain that small eels did not grow to much of a size, and were the males, the larger ones being the females. When the Maoris spoke of the seven “runs” by different names they did not distinguish biologically between species. It was quite likely that the second “run” which followed the “hau” were of a different genus. . It had been shown by a Danish scientist that there were two distinct varieties of eels in New Zealand. One, the shortfinned species, was found in the North Island, while the long-finned were found in the South, and in Canterbury there was an intermingling of the two. There was no doubt of the economic importance of an eel industry. Mr. J. S. Main (Canterbury delegate) recounted an interesting experience which had befallen him in 1913. He was standing on the river-bank on a very not day when the boulders were almost “sizzling with the heat.” Suddenly a black shadowdarkened the water’s edge, and moved slowly up the bank. He was astonished to discover on closer examination that this was caused by thousands upon thousands of eels which were literally pushed up over the hot stones by weight of numbers behind until the slopes of the riverbanks turned them back, and the steepness drove them toward the water again. At first he thought the cause was a migration, but on examination he discovered the existence of tiny parasites inside the eels, and he thought these had something to do with the unusual exodus from the water. As far as the taking of eels during a run was concerned he saw two Maoris take 2i tons at a time. Before the war a German had sent over 100 barrels of dry-salted eels home to Germany, but he had disappeared before the outbreak of the war.

In Germany, stated Mr. Hefford, eels were highly thought of as food,, and there was a market in this direction which could well be developed. Something in connection with eel export had been already done in Southland, said Mr. E. Evans, delegate for that district, and some tons of the fish had been sent Home. In addition to possessing considerable food value, eels could be made to yield a useful leather from which slip pers, etc., could be made up.