QUINNAT SALMON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18087, 11 May 1922, Page 5

QUINNAT SALMON.

STRIPPING OPERATIONS. That the quinnat, which has been responsible for tho creation of a very importunt industry in Canada, will in the ! course of time be of similar value to New Zealand seems to be a reasonable assumption, and judging by the headway , made up to the present that time should i not bo very far distant, comments a Southern paper. Officers of the Marine Department are busily engaged at present in stripping operations, which are being carried on under the guidance, of Mr. L. F. Ayson. This work, which was started on April 20, and will be continued until the end of tho present month, is being conducted at Hakataramea, Otemataia, the Ahuriri mouth, and the Ddbson River. There has been an exceptional run of fish so far. and if the climatic conditions remain favourable Mr. Ayson is confident that this year will be one of the best yet experienced. Some 253,000 eggs have been secured at Hakataramea, whereas the total last season was not more than 100,000. Satisfactory results have been achieved at Otematata, where 65,000 ova were secured. Reports from tho Ahuriri are also very favourable. Some big fish have been secured, one male and one female being largor than any that had been caught previously. The average weight of the females is about 161b. to 901b Mr. Ayson states that a lot of qumnat have come into the Molyneux River to spawn, which ia proof of the statement that tho fish has now become established in a, creat, mauy of the rivers in the Dominion. .. '