ROTORUA FISHERIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15821, 19 January 1915, Page 5

ROTORUA FISHERIES

SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS. RESTOCKING OF LAKE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COHBESKJXEESI ] Weixtsgtox, Monday. Dealing with the condition of the fish caught this year in the Rotorua district* Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., who has just returned from Hamuxana, and who for the past 15 years has spent an annual holiday in the Hot Lakes district, says that the fishing was certainly better than it was two .years ago. The netting operations of the Government were being carried out in a systematic and capable manner, under the guidance of Mr. Moorhouse, who had a valuable lieutenant in Mr. Neale.

While the netting operations were successful, it .must be remembered, however, said Mr. Wiiford, that such operations were conducted in comparatively shallow waters, and the fly-fishing suffered in cansequence. Whereas a fisherman could catch 50 fish, averaging 51b, a day. in 1906, a hard day's fishing at present, with every available fly, would not return more than seven or eight fish, with an average of about lslb. Some of them were dreadful " slabs," and unfit for consumption. Some drastic remedy was required to roeeithe loss of what was one of the greatest attractions, both to New Zealanders and tourists from abroad. Mr. Wiiford further mentioned that he had been" told that Lake Taupo contained better fish this year than last, while Rotorua was furnishing some splendid fish, both on the fly and for those who caught fish by trolling " with a spoon-bait.

Lake Rotorua, during the last fewyears, said Mr. Wflford, had /alien something like 2ft, wnile the weed in the ' rivers and at the mouth of the- rivers rendered the casting of flies "there iiii.-' possible. The River Hamurana required to have about £150 spent on- it to clear it. while the Government Domain- -at ■ Hamurana was a wilderness, and weald repay attention. His personal idea' was '■ that every fish should be taken "out of' Lake Rotorua by net or trawl as soon as possible, that the whole lake should be restocked from abroad, and that it should lie closed for five years to give it -a chance to recover. No half measures would cure" the present state of affairs. Mr. Wiiford added that he had noticed in .the-hotel* at Rotorua that the trout on. the menu, was either called "' trout," " Tarawera trout," or " Taupo trout." On making inquiries he could not find anyone who had in recent times found '' Rotorua" trout" on the bill of fare. The largest fish now caught in Rotorua were caught by the netting process in waters wh?re the fly fishermen could not operate, and some oi these fish were in excellent con- < dition.

Referring; to the red worm disease, Mr. Wiliord raid that for the first time daring the discussion on this disease, which had 4 puzzled the experts, light was. grobably thrown, on the mystery by a conversation lie had With Mr. Ansley, who, for tarelvp or thirteen years, had been connected with tbe fishing at Rotorua. Mr. Anslev maintained that the worm could be found in the lake, especially in deep water, wherever there was a piece of rotte".; wood covered with the green moss that prevails there. He stated that he bad examined quantities of moss clinging bclo\r the water level of the jetty at Hamurana. and had there discovered the pest. If ' this was correct then neither the shag nor the trout was the "host." but. perhaps, they collected the worm from the source mentioned by Mr. Ansley. Should this theory be correct, then it would be impossible to eradicate the disease.