FISH SUPPLIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21582, 8 December 1944, Page 4

FISH SUPPLIES

N.Z. COASTAL WATERS EVIDENCE OF DECREASE REMEDIAL TtEP URGED (P.R.) WELLINGTON. Dec. 8. The opinion that there was cogent evidence for the view that the existing methods for the taking of fish from New Zealand coastal waters were such as to threaten seriously the possibility of the Dominion being able to maintain a supply that would be reasonably sufficient to meet the needs of the people in future years was expressed by the Public Petitions (A to L) Committee in a report tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday. The committee was reporting on an Auckland petition signed by 2511 persons praying that the taking of fish for sale by means of a seine drag or other drag net between Bream Tail and Home Point in the Whangarei harbour district be prohibited. The committee reported that, in its opinion, the petition should be referred to the Government for most favourable consideration. Dealing with the general question of fish supplies for the Dominion, the committee “most strongly and urgently” requested the Government to have an immediate' investigation made with a view to determining the following matters: (a) Whether some limitation might be imposed upon the export of New Zealand fish in order that an increased quantity might be made available for the people of the Dominion. (b) Whether some restrictions might be introduced for the purpose of controlling or limiting the quantity of fish that should he taken during what might be ..called the spawning period. (c) Whether any further regulations were necessary regarding the methods of taking fish and the areas in which they might be taken so as to prevent great wastage due to the destruction of small or immature fish and also damage to feeding and spawning grounds, alleged to be caused by the methods and practices being followed at the present time. The committee’s report was adopted. “Drastic Action Needed” Mr. A. J. Murdoch (Opp., Marsden) said he wished to thank the committee for its splendid report and recommendation. It was a well-known fact that fish supplies in New Zealand had been depreciating over a period of years. It was incumbent on those controlling the sea fisheries to take such action as would result in increased supplies. Whether that action was taken by regulation prohibiting trawling or the use of the seine net in certain areas or whether a period should be set aside as a close season was a matter for investigation. Mr. Murdoch added that he thought it was time that public men appreciated that the fishing industry was fast reaching the stage when New Zealand would be left without an adequate supply of fish and importations would be necessary unless drastic action were not taken shortly. The chairman of the committee said it was significant that, according to the fisheries section of the last annual report of the Marine Department, some further control and immediate action were necessary. It was also worthy of note that the following percentage decline in supplies had taken place in the following ports:— Lyttelton. 17.5 per cent; Wellington, 34.6; Gisborne, 25; Napier, 23.4; and Port Chalmers, 38.1. In some cases not all of the decline was attributed to the exigencies of walT but to the increasing number of fish 'being, de-. stroyed "before they had reached maturity.