THE DAINTY WHITEBAIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15143, 6 November 1912, Page 6

THE DAINTY WHITEBAIT.

PLENTY IN THE RJVER. SEASON CLOSED TOO EARLY. Tub whitebait season is always looked forward to with anticipation, as the dainty fish for about threo months m the year provides a favourite article of diet. The new regulations issued by the Government prescribing a close Reason for whitebait, in the Waikato River and tributaries has cut off the Auckland supplies just as the fish were becoming plentiful, and as a result consumers are making complaint. The regulations provide that the close season skill;be from November 1 to August 31, thus leaving September and October as the months in which whitebait may be taken from the Waikato River. Any person taking whitebait from the said river in the close so:tson is liable to a fine not exceeding £60.

Usually small quantities of whitebait are obtainable- in Auckland in July, bat tb> fish is, as a rule, not very plentiful until November. Throughout last month whitebait was very scarce, and really proved rather an expensive luxury. On October 31, however, the last day on which the fish could be taken from the river, plentiful supplies were placed on the market, thus indicating that the real season for catching the whitebait was only practically commencing when further catching was prohibited. Mr. A. Sanford, who lias had a wide experience in connection with the fishing industry, stated to a Herald representative yesterday that for the first time the catching of whitebait in the Waikato River had been interfered with. There was no objection to a close season being proclaimed, but the fact that supplies were shut off just as the whitebait were becoming plentiful showed that the. season for catching the fish should be extended. From his experience in past seasons whitebait was rarely in good supply until November. This year there was no good catch of whitebait until October 31, the last day of the proclaimed season, this indicating that the season was closed too quickly. To-day the fish were very plentiful in the Waikato River, and the chances were that many of them would die off, and thus be wasted through not being thinned out by catcliiug. Continuing, Mr., Sanford said that in past years the season was brought to a close in a natural way, without any interference. When the "fish became too big consumers would »not buy them, and dealers then, -of course, ceased to place them on the market. Consumers in Auckland had certainly a just cause of complaint in the supplies being prohibited, while the fish was plentiful, but it was not a matter of much moment' to the dealers. In his opinion the- season should at least be extended to the middle of November. After the end of that month the whitebait became too old for use. •

Mr. Sanford said he could not give any reason as to why the season should be closed at such an early da.tc. The regulations, ho considered, were made solely in the interests of tho canning industry. In November the weather became too hot for canning operations, and canning work had then to be discontinued. It had evidently been forgotten, however, that while the weather might be too hot for canning whitebait there was a large public that preferred to have fresh whitebait from the river placed on their tables. No doubt this wholesome article of food would be much missed during this month. A number of other dealers also expressed similar views, there being a, general concensus of opinion that the season should be extended by a month.