TROUT FISHERIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15885, 5 April 1915, Page 7

TROUT FISHERIES.

EFFORT TO STOCK STREAMS.

REASONS .FOR FAILURE.

OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

fI)Y TEL RATH.-—OWN* CORRESPONDENT.]

Whaxcauki, Sunday. A report in connection with the stocking of the northern and other rivers with trout has just been received from tl o Marine Department, by the Whangarc-i Acclimatisation Society. The report is the result of a visit recently made by Mr. L. F. Ay son, Inspector of Fisheries.

In the course of the report, Mr. Ayson states that he inspected the hatchery at Whau Whau, and the principal streams iii the district. The hatchery site lie regarded as very suitable. The water supply was sufficient for the hatching of a very large quantity of eyed ova. A wellequipped hatchery placed on the site, and capable of dealing with not less than 500,C00 trout eggs, could supply all the young fish required for stocking the waters from Helensville and Whangarei, north to Mangonui. Mr. Ayson was convinced that all the streams contained a plentiful supply of natural feed for trout. The shingle bottom in the reaches was favourable for tile natural spawning of mature fish, and there was apparently no reason why the I streams should not carry a good head of trout. The rainbow trout should do better than the brown variety. The report set out the causes of the failure of efforts t<- well stock any stream in the district. These were, that too few trout had been put in, log-floating and drives, the dividing into too many lots, [ the small number of fish available, and also, in many instances, putting the fish into small, unsuitable creeks. There was no doubt but that the log-drives had cleared and improved the streams, and now that driving was practically finished they were in a better condition for stocking than before. To stock the streams in the Whangarei district within a reasonable time, Mr. Ayson recommended that not less than 250,000 young fish should bo turned out every year, for four or five years successively. The fish should be placed in two or three of the best streams, namely, the tributaries of the Wairitaand the Waitana and Hatea. To do that moro hatching accommodation would be required. Mr. Ayson recommended a. conference of all the acclimatisation societies north of Helensville. If an agreement could be made to support a central hatchery, no time should be lost in making hatching arrangements for the coming season. Respecting rainbow trout eggs, the report stated that- the waters in the Rotorua and Taupo districts had been overstocked with trout for a good many years- On more than one occasion he had recommended that the Government should have eggs collected in large quantities and supplied to acclimatisation societies which had small incomes, either free or at the bare cost of collection, eyeing out, and packing. It would be a simple matter to collect at Rotorua and Taupo every year 10,000.000 or 20,000,000 eggs. If that were done and the eggs distributed wherever, throughout the Dominion, waters required stocking, there would bo an immense improvement in fishing in a very short time. Furthermore the fisheries of Rotorua and Taupo would be improved by the taking away of the eggs. The report is to be considered, and steps taken in respect to co-operation with other societies.