SALMON AND TROUT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 145, 21 June 1932, Page 9

SALMON AND TROUT

CONTROVERSIAL QUESTION

A letter from the Auckland Acclimatisation Society asking for information whether or not salmon are detrimental to trout led to an interesting discussion at a meeting of the Council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society last week, m the course of which some opposing opinions were expressed. The Auckland Society's letter said that the society was contemplating the establishment of quinnat salmon in the Wanganui River and desired to know whether salmon were detrimental to trout. \

■Mr. G. D. Mcllraith suggested that, the Auckland Society should be advised to write to the secretary of ill? Waitaki Society, who had been very bitter in his remarks at a conference regarding salmon in the Waitaki River., Mr. C. H. Lawrence: "It is a very moot point indeed. No one is going to state definitely that they are detrimental. Anglers have no doubt about it, but they have no definite evidence." Mr. R. Ashworth said that in the Hurunurjjiver this year there were, more trout than ever and that the salmon had not driven them out.

Mr. P. J. Molloy said that it was a very controversial question. His own opinion was that salmon diS not do any hanu. He himself had taken six trout and three salmon from the same pool in the ■Kafcaia River this season ♦i tt7C: R- Russell said that, fishing in the Waitnakariri, he had taken salmon with one cast and three casts'later he nati taken trout, and other anglers also St °ut from tlle same P°olMr. 1. Steans said that it was a difficult thing to decide. He had been of the opinion that the supply of trout food was depleted by salmon, but last season in the Rakaia there were just as many trout running as usual, and he was satisfied that there were more salmon The question was too big to decide offhand, especially as the Auckland Society was Koing to he influenced by the opinion expressed by the North Canterbury Society. He suggested that a small committee should be appointed to draft a reply. He thoudit that the Auckland Society was afraid of tlie salmon and wanted an excuse for not establishing them. After other members had expressed their opinions, it was decided to appoint a committee consisting of Messrs. L. A. Shand (president of the society), C. H. Lawrence, and F. Steans to report to the next meeting of the council.