Grow Oysters On Sticks In North, Murdoch Urges

Northern Advocate, 11 August 1948, Page 3

Grow Oysters On Sticks In North, Murdoch Urges

WELLINGTON, Wed. (Sp.).—ln Whangarei, Whangaroa, Bay of Islands and Mangonui Harbours there were splendid areas for the growing of oysters on sticks, said Mr A. J. Murdoch (0 —Marsden) in the House of Representatives yesterday. He was speaking during the debate on the Fisheries Amendment Biil, the second reading of which was carried. Such an industry would be worth while, Mr Murdoch said.

In Sydney, oysters were grown on sticks, and there was nothing to stop New Zealand growing them in that manner, the only necessity being that the sticks should be covered by the daily rise of water. The country had most suitable water fo; the growing of those oysters, and he hoped the Minister would endeavour to reinstate their growth, so that there would be a better supply at a lowei price.

for breaches had been increased Iron £IOO to £SOO. Another clause widened the delini tion of persons who could be prose cuted for destroying edible fish. There had been many cases in (h< past, said the Minister, where edible fish had been destroyed in order tc keep up the price. The bill regulated the use of highpressure cookers in the canning o! trout, with the view to preventing exorbitant catches. The Marine Department had knowledge of certain hotels which sent men to the fishing grounds for the purpose of catching fish for their tables, and the result had been that limit catches had been exceeded. Mr T. L. Macdonald <o—Wallace) said the steps taken to preserve trout and salmon fishing would be welcome, and he regretted the fact that poisons had been used in' the far south for the purpose of catching fish. Everything possible should be done lo see that the oyster beds in Foveaux Strait should not be depleted. The annual take of oysters had shown a steep increase, and in 1946 94.000 sacks were produced, each sack containing between 60 and 00 dozen oysters. BREEDING GROUNDS The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Parry) said fish did not. remain on the spawning grounds all the year round, and if it was decided to protect the breeding grounds there would also have to be found some way of protecting the fish on their return to the spawning grounds. The only way that could be done j would be to give the fish a closed sea-; son. i The recent catch of two tons of i crayfish at Jackson's Bay had destroy-j ed millions'of potential fish, continued i the Minister, and yet that was permit-j ted. and still people grumbled at tiioi shortage of fish. I

Mr Murdoch recalled that in days gene by it was possible to make a profit from oysters at 7/6 a sack, and tire shores cf the harbours were covered with oysters. Now only a few sacks could be collected at each little place and they were really too dear to eat. CONSERVING FISH Asking what attention the present Minister (Mr Hackett) had paid to the conservation of the country’s fish supplies, Mr Murdoch recalled that, the late Minister (Mr O'Brien) had indicated his views about the conserving of fish at the entrance to Whangarti Harbour. While he had not intended to cut | out trawlers, he had 'proposed the licensing of trawlers so that, if they invaded certain areas, they would lose their licences.

1 Years ago there were prolific supplies of mullet and there was a canning works at the Bay of Islands, Mr Murdoch said. Now the mullet had gone. PROVISIONS OF BILL Extremely little was known about fish, and he had yet to learn how to tell the age of a crayfish, said Mr Hackett. The bill, said Mr Hackett. contained many provisions which the Marine and Internal Affairs Departments had desired for a number of years, and corrected a number of anomalies. A serious view was taken of the activities of poachers, and the penalty