SEINE NET FISHING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20028, 18 August 1928, Page 14

SEINE NET FISHING.

RESTRICTIONS IN .THE GULF.

DIFFICULTY OF PROBLEM.

SUPPLY. AND BREEDING RATE.

The desirability of advising the Government to impose further restrictions upon the Danish seino net fishing in the liauraki Gulf is being investigated by Mr. A. E. Ilefford, chief inspector of fisheries, who arrived in Auckland yesterday to consult officers of the Marine Department on the question. The problem was not easy of solution, Mr. Hefford stated last evening. The department quite recognised that if fish were being taken from the waters of the Gulf faster than they were breeding then restrictions additional to those already in forco would have to be imposed. However, it must be realised that if tho public was to bo supplied with fish in large quantities, it, was not reasonable to expect the fish to abound in tho same numbers as t.hev did in early years. There was undoubtedly a point below which tho thinning process must not bo allowed to go, and to determine 'whether this point had been reached involved a close scrutiny of all tho available statistics. A great deal of data had been collected, but even so it was not as extensive! as could bo wished. Lean years could undoubtedly result from natural causes, and it was consequently desirable to have reliable figures covering a considerable period. Mr. Hefford said he expected to forward his recommendation to Wellington in the course of a few days.