WHITEBAIT SEASON

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 59, 6 September 1913, Page 6

WHITEBAIT SEASON

DISSATISFACTION EXPRESSED. £BT TBLEGBAPH — SPECIAL TO THE POSC.^ AUCKLAND, This Day. Much dissatisfaction has been expressed in Auckland at the action of the Marine 1 Department in restricting the taking of whitebait to a season of only two months, September and October. The fish has now come on to the market, but the season could evidently have ' been- opened earlier, as the fish is larger ,-and coarser than usual. The retail price"•■has also been affected by the restricted ' season, dealers yesterday asking Is per ,pint, and in some cases even more was being charged. No satisfactory reason ■was giyen for declaring a limited season, until a reporter interviewed the State Inr specter of Fisheries (Mr. L. F. Ay son), when he was informed that the closeseason under the regulations applies only ' •to-4he Waikato River, and it was owing "to* the representations of the whitebait - men on the river. Th< se particular fishf ermen, Mr. Ayson stated, maintained for iyears that unrestricted seasons have icansedba decrease in the fish. Mr. Ayson does n °t consider that a close ; season is necessary, because it is un-< IBsßly fco^arve "the effect of increasing the.qaan£ftie& of whitebait. The fatter, he , pointed oat, come and -go at varied times, some /seasons being earlier and some'''late?-,

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