FIN, FEATHER AND FUR.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 1 October 1927, Page 5

FIN, FEATHER AND FUR.

GAME IN THE LEVIN DISTRICT. Mr /r. Andrews, of Palmerston N., a ranger of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, who was in Levin on Thursday, informed a Chronicle reporter, that, the rivers being low, they contain a large number of natural trout fry this season. This is especially noticeable in the Ohau and the Tiritea. With the object of improving the fishing in this district, the Society is bringing all the ova required from Otago and Southland. It is hatched at Masterton, and at the age of six weeks the fry are distributed in the rivers, travelling by rail to Upper Ilutt, whence it is taken further afield by motor vehicles. Mr Andrews on Thursday liberated 30,000 fry in this district—2o,ooo in the Ohau river and 10,000 in the Waikawa stream. Another 20,000 have to be liberated in the Levin district during the season before its quota is complete. The amount of brown trout fry to be distributed this season in the whole of the Society’s district, which extends from Wellington to Taihape, is one and a-half million. Otaki receives 20,000, Shannon 20,000, the Mangaore stream 10,000, the Tiritea 30,000, and the Manawatu river 25,000. In the Tokomaru. 30,000 were liberated yesterday. The rainbow trout fry have already been distributed for the season in the rivers of this district. Unfortunately most of the rainbow trout disappears, and Mr Andrews is of the opinion that they go out to sea. This is what happens to quinnat salmon, but after remaining away for three or four years they return to the identical rivers that they left, then they spawn and die.. Trout and river salmon live after spawning. The rainbow trout thrive well in the hatchery and holding ponds, and they do fairly well in the Ohau, in the upper reaches of the Eangitikei, and at Rotorua, but in most rivers they are soon lost. Quinnat salmon have been introduced from time to time in the South Island, and in the North Island an attempt has been made to stock the Wanganui river with Atlantic salmon. Occasionally what was believed to have been salmon has been seen in the Eangitikei river. Owing to the increased revenue from opossum licenses, the Society has been able to expend more money this year in providing for sportsmen generally, with the result that the rivers are better stocked with fish and more pheasants have been liberated than in previous years.