WHITEBAIT FISHERY

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1930, Page 3

WHITEBAIT FISHERY

PREPARING NEW REGULATIONS.

[FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, July 23. The Secretary of the Marine Department (G. C. Godfrey) stated that the Department is making inquiries into the present position of the whitebait fishery, and what steps should be taken to preserve and, if possible, promote the supply. The Department had sent out a draft of consolidated and revised regulations, with the viewi of getting suggestions from Acclimatisation Societies, and those engaged or interested in the industry with a view of makin'g the regulations as perfect as possible. The Department desired first to ascertain the extent of the depletion of the fishery, the causes of such depletion, and the best course to take to restore and improve catches. Up to the present time, a responsible officer had 1 been engaged in summarising the reports received, and in considering the value- of the f . re-_ medies recommended, the Chief Inspector of Fisheries (Mr A. E. Hefford) was on a visit to the West Coast, making further inquiries, and would shortly be able to finalise his recommendations. It was not correct that the regulations had met wi,th such opposition that they had been dropp’ed. Inquiries were still being made. He liad been informed by the Chief Inspector that the necessity for safeguarding future supplies by imposing restrictions upon fishing operations, as conducted at present, had been admitted by those who had long and intimate practical acquaintance with this fishery. Leading professional whitebait fishermen at Hokitika and elsewhere were in favour of the introduction of a licensing system to enable the fishery to be kept under better control. With two exceptions in all districts where whitebait fishing was pursued for the purposes of sale on appreciable scale, it was reported that the present conditions show deterioration.