HABITS OF WHITEBAIT

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 76, 25 February 1930, Page 2

HABITS OF WHITEBAIT

BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, Feb. 24. Captain L. Hayes, of the Marine Department, was a visitor to Foxton last week to carry out biological investigations into the life and habits of whitebait. Captain Hayes has previously carried out research work in tho Whakapuna Drain at Manawatu Heads, well-known for its whitebait, and this year he timed his visit to coincide with the opening of the drain, which for some months, has been closed at its junction with the lakes to enablo deepening and cleaning operations to bo carried out. Last Thursday morning Captain Hayes carried out an examination of the lake known as Robinson's No. 1 prior to the barrier between tho lake and the drain being removed. Ho was in search of inanga, the parent fish of the whitebait, but failed to find any traco of them, although young smelt abounded along tho edge of the lake. At midday the water was let through into tho drain and during tho afternoon Captain Hayes maintained a carefifl watch over tho waterway but saw only three inanga making their way down to the sea. At night ho was accompanied by Mr Hans Androson, a well known local fisherman, and a “Standard” representative. The party bivouacked on the eastern bank of tho drain about a quarter of a mile south of the lake and there rigged up an acetylene lamp and powerful electric torches which so brilliantly illuminated a patch of water tho wholo width of the drain that tho bottom was quite easily discernible. A cold wind was blowing and scattered showers did not tend to mako conditions very ploasant. The watch was kept in vain, for not a solitary inanga was seen that night, but as far as your representative was concerned tho sight witnessed was without parallel. Tho drain was just one living mass of cels all twisting and twirling, some entwining around others, some quito dark, others almost silvery in colour, somo small, many largo, most of them cautiously' timid until tho darkness onj the other side was reached. When tbe run was at its height 587 eels were counted in a very short time, but towards 11 p.m. tho procession commenced to dwindle. The run was over for that night and tho water in the drain returned onco more to its usual calm and nothing more of importance was seen. At tho mouth of the lake, in the middle of tho stream where tho current was running fastest, head pointed into the lake, lay a hugo eel. In girth it was easily as large as tho thickest portion of a man’s Ipg while it must havo been at least five inches across the head. Lazily she (for Captain Hayes told his companions that the monster was a fcmalo) except for the movement of her tail from side to side remained quite immovable in tho running stream. Even when the captain flashed his torch to and fro in front of her she appeared to take no notico but finally when tho torch wa3 placed within a few inches of her she moved easily and without any apparent effort out into the lake. Tho captain informed his companions that tho fish had evidently been lying in the current to free itself from parasites. It was by no means tho largest that had been seen in the lake. Two Maoris working in tho vicinity had that day trailed two monsters they had caught down tho drain just as anyone would haul a log downstream to obviate carrying it.

Tho tollowing morning Captain Hayes, accompanied oy the local inspector of fisheries (ConstaDle Owen), and your representative set out to make an inspection of the various other outlets from the chain of lakes along this coast. The party proceeded along tho ocean beach to the outlet of Hunia’s Lake some miles north of Manawatu Heads. In tho back-water in the sandhills just above highwatcr mark little fish could bo seen jumping about in tho water and it was not long before Captain Hayes was catching samplos. They proved to bo for tho most part smelt and young herrings. A badly diseased inanga found on the edge ot tho water was carefully placed in tho preserving jar for future inspection. Although Captain Hayes spent some hours carefully exploring tho locality, which he said was an ideal haoitat for inanga, nothing of any import was discovered.

Ihe outlets of Koputara Lake were also caretully investigated and Here Uaptain Hayes was ui in netting what appeared to be an ordinary wtuteoait. There were several such lisli located and a good sample obtained. Ine alternoon was spent in an exploration of the various drains leading into the Manawatu River between Foxton and the Heads. In the drain serving tho Matakarapa swamp, inanga were aiscovered but there wero no traces discovered of breeding localities. On Saturday, Captain Hayes again visited Robinson’s Lanes and was successful in locating tho breeding ground of tho little fish commonly known as tho bully. A nest of eggs was discovered on the edge of the lake over which the male hsh was maintaining guard in accordance with the custom of tnis species. Captain Hayes, after stealthily approaching tho water's edge slowly stretched his linger towards tho nest but Tho parent fish stood his ground and even flipped his tail menacingly against tho intruder's finger. Tho captain said tho bully was a game little fish and one of the very few that guarded its eggs until they were hatched out. He removed tho nest from the water in the piece of mussel shell to which it was attached, and tho consternation of the parent fish was very real. It swam round and round tho spot in a greatly agitated manner and when the captain again placed the shell in tho water a short distance away it immediately located it and returned to the nest. Tho captain, however, took the nest and a sample of tho fish for future reference. During the afternoon and evening, and tho following day, Captain Hayes spent his timo in conferring with local fishermen and natives on the habits of the whitebait in tho Manawatu and as a result of his investigations ho is very confident that ho will within the next few weeks, be able to definitely locate the breeding ground of these elusive little fish.

In conversation with your representative Captain Hayes said that the object of his visit had been to endeavour to locate the breeding ground of tho whitebait which up to tho present was more or less a mystery. As a result of his investigations ho was now quito confident that he was on the right track and hoped within a very short timo to bo able to mako an announcement in this connccion. That the parent of the whitebait was the inanga had been definitely established.

During his last visit tho captain made arrangements for tho department to be communicated with if anything out of the ordinary had been noticed in connection with the movements of tho inanga. Ho was greatly disappointed to learn from beach residents on his arrival here that a big run of inanga had been soon in tho drain in October. The department had not beon acquainted of this fact at the timo and as to its authenticity ho was not prepared to say. They had previously understood that there were two distinct runs of inanga. Tho first, that of tho adult, or two-year-old fish, in January or February, and tho other in April and May, when tho younger fish left their habitat for tho sea.

Captain Hayes said he had recently examined the eggs of a fivo and a-quar-tor inch inanga caught in the Hutt River and after careful calculation estimated that tho ovary contained 13,372 eggs. Tho outlet to Hunia’s Lake was an ideal habitat for the inanga. To bring back the whitebait in tho Manawatu and tributaries to what it was some years ago would not bo a difficult matter. All that was required was suitable areas or preserves for tho fish to live in and after inspecting Matakarapa, Captain Haves expressed the opinion that portion of this land could be made an ideal habitat at very littlo expense by means of suitable drains which would flood portion of the waste area to a reasonable depth. Fresh water was essential as tho little fish would not venture far up a creek unless they could feel fresh water ahead.