QUINNAT SALMON

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 51, 7 September 1928, Page 6

QUINNAT SALMON

MUCH TO BE LEARNT

NO BIG INDUSTRY YET

Dealing with the question of the acclimatisation of quinnat salmon in Now Zealand, Mr. A. 'K. Hefford, tlio Chief Inspector of Fisheries, says in his annual report that it.is to be rocognised that a great deal has to bo learned about those fish in their New Zealand- environment, and as to the conditions relative to their reproduction and their rate of survival from human and other enemies. It is very necessary to shed the optimistic views formerly so freely expressed as to the early development of a big salmon industry, and rather to pursue a cautious and conservative policy, says Mr. Hefford. One significant fact about the salmon of the Waimakariri is that this river, like all the Canterbury rivers, has been stocked enI lirely by the.natural migration of adult salmon which had been spawned in tho most southern rivers. It is reasonable to assume that this recruitment is still taking place, and unless the abstractions by fishing can be shown to result in an undue check upon tho increase of the stock in this river, there appears to be no ground for the further restriction of the netting at present allowed. It may be, and probably will be, necessary to 'modify the administrative policy with respect to the quinnat fishing, and to alter the regulations for both net and rod fishing in accordance with future needs. A more scientific study of the whole conditions with the object not only of conserving but of increasing the stock is our first duty. The prevention of illegal and unsportsmanlike methods of taking these fish is a further necessity. The restriction jof netting licenses to tho bona 'fide professional fisherman and the cutting-out of tho amateur net man has certainly been a step in the right direction. But to abolish netting entirely for the benefit of anglers, and on tho ground that special rod licenses would yield a bigger revenue is not a policy to be recommended.