FISHING INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 20, 24 July 1934, Page 5

FISHING INDUSTRY

WHITEBAIT AND OYSTERS

SUPPLIES FOR THE FUTURE

(By Telegraph) (Special to the "Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, July 23. Various aspects of the fishing industry in New Zealand were commented on by Mr. A. E. Hcflord, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, in an interview. Mi. Hefford referred to the desirability of taking stops to conserve whitebait supplies in the principal rivers, and'also to dci'dopiacntfe in oyster picking. The ivhitebait season had been open since the beginning of July, Mr. He±foid said, bin the weather geneially hirtl been so inclement that compara tivelj' few f,sh had leached the markets. A pooi' season had been experienced last \ear, with quantities well below the a-veiage, 'but Maoris, presumably Jrom their observations of the autumn spawning, anticipated a good season this year as soon as more settled weather was experienced. Mr. Hofford described the spawning habits of the whitebait. They spawned in the estuaries of rivers only at exceptionally high spring tides, lie said, depositing the ova on grass and rushes, where they remained, germinating in the sun, until they weie washed off, hatched, with the next spring tide. "The Fisheries Department has jurisdiction only over the water," Mr. Hefford continued, "but the spawning of whitebait is really a land question. Actually their spawning grounds are covered by water only once a.month. In some cases land drainage schemes near the mouths of rivers have resulted in tiie reclamation of swampy ground, but they have also removed the spawning places of the whitebait. It seems desirablo that something should be done to preserve adequate spawning grounds and to,safeguard future supplies of an exceptionally fine fish." CONSERVATION OF OYSTERS. Supplies of rock oysters in the Auckland district were being well maintained, Mr. Hefford said, but steps were being taken to conserve' beds for the future.. ;Recerit research had established fairly clearly that breeding oysters wore not the best for the market. The best'breeding oysters wcro found near high-water mark, and were rather stunted, probably because they wero not as .much in water as others lower down the beaches. Consequently practically all the picking was done from tho lower beds. Some time ago thero had been encouraging prospects for the development of an export trade in crayfish tails. They were sent to England and were then re-exported to France. However, the, latter country had imposed taxes, and quotas, .and the trade had accordingly : languished, although there might reasonably be some future development. "The Department is still concerned with conserving' the supplies of fish in coastal waters,"' Mr. Hefford said; "When waters are ovcrfishod, stocks gradually disappear. Of recent years there has been a very decided increase in the export of fish from New Zealand to Australia, principally snapper and blue cod. Tho exports of flounder fell off somewhat last year, owing to the fact that fewnr flounder than usual were available. There is still a good demand for New Zealand oysters in Australia."