OUR FISHERIES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6371, 20 November 1907, Page 5

OUR FISHERIES.

A PLENTIFUL SUPPLY. RESULTS OF THE NOE A NIVEN'S CRUISE. r RICH TRAWLING GROUNDS. An. interim report upon the oxperimontal trawling crui«o undertaken by tho steam trawler Nora Niven, on bohalf of Uio Government, has boon prepared by Mr h. F. Ayson, Chief Injector of Fisher w*?, ami presented to Parliament. Ifc demonstrates conclusively that within vwy roach of tho centres of population in tho Dominion are plentiful supplies of edible fish to be hud for the catching. PRACTICAL RESULTS. "Tho practical result# and infornr.v iLion obtained during this cruise will undoubtedly prove of great value to the fishing industry," state 1 # tho report, "while tho very large areas of splendid trawling bottom which were discovered off different part# of tho coast* the extenmvo trawling grounds discovered u tho Bay of Plenty, teeming wIUi schnappor, tarakilii, and other fish, and tho very satisfactory results obtained in lino fishing and trawling at tho Chatham island#. more than justifies tho expenditure on tho expedition. Tho negative results obtained in certain localities will also havo considerable value, a# they will prevent owners of fishing vessels from spending time and money in trying grounds which havo been proved daring this orui#o to be either unsafe or unprofitable, "There in no doubt that the result of tlua cruise will have the effect of enr.ouraging more capital and energy being put into tho fishing industry. Already a new trawling and fishing company, with a capital of .£20,000, is being floated in Dunedin, and two now trawlers of the most modern type havo boon ordered from England by two other firms. It n also understood that one of tho largest firms connected with the fishing trade intend commencing operations on an extensive (scale at tho Chatham Islands." OBJECT OF THE EXPERIMENTS. Tim object of tho cruioe was to test die ocean floor off the East Coast from Stewart Island to tho Bay of Plenty, and round tho Chatham Island# in order to ascertain what extent of dear trawling ground# exist outuido erf those already known and worked; to ascertain what fish life exists out to one hundred fathoms, to look for off-shore banks, and generally to acquire a better knowledge of our fishing resources. The Now Zealand Trawling and Fish Supply Company's now steam trawler, which was specially chartered to carry out the work, proved to bo a splendid sea boat, and well adapted for the purpose. Mr Edgar R. Waite, curator of the Canterbury Museum, accompanied the expedition in tho interest# of that institution, ami, notwithstanding tho difficulty of having to work on a vessel which provided very little space for storing collcctand gear, ho succeeded in obtaining a ! largo collection of specimens, and scouring much valuable information with regard to tho feeding and breeding habits of tho odiblo and coarse fishes caught, A full report from Mr Waite, apart from its scientific importance, would bo of very great practical and economic value. A WELL-DEFINED RANGE,

Tho charter commenced on June sth, find the first cruise was to Stewart Island, it being tho intention to test tho thousand miles of coast-line from Stewart Island to Mercury Islands, ns well bo to work at tho Chathams. During tho first throe months tho vessel fished on forty-eight days, -1313 miles being coveredi.b.ud of this distance tho trawl-net was lowed 514 miles, 10G hauls of the net being m ado. About 400 soundings were taken with tho hand-load and Lord Kelvin doep-oea sounding machine. Tho range of depth in which the greatest variety of fish life was found to exist was from inshore ont to thirty fathoms, and no flat fish of any value were taken over that depth. These results correspond with those obtained during tho cruise of the Dote in 1900 and 1901. Hapuka, klngfish, and ling wore taken at any depth, and out to over one hundred fathoms, and tarakihx and eohnapper wore frequently in large quantities ont to sixty fathoms, on one occasion da one hundred fathoms.

WHERE THE FLATFISH <3o|gc Ono of the reasons why undertaken in tho winter ascertain the winter habitafTijPHie ratfish, for they generally disappear from tho inshore trawling grounds during that reason. Tho general opinion of fishermen is that they either go out to deep water or migrate to oS-shoro banks. Tile result of tho Nora Niven's cruise would seem to negative both theories, as no flat Bsh of any value were obtained beyond the depths at which they were taken in other seasons, and no off-shore banks were found within the 100-fathom line, and Beyond that all the soundings showed a sudden drop down to great depths. It is probable, states Mr Ayson. that the disappearance of flounders and .soles off the known fishing grounds at certain seasons is due to weather and temperature conditions and spawning habits, mid, like tho oolts and plaice in the Northern Hemisphere, they partly bury themselves in the sand on the bottom. In J this way tho trawl not would pass over them. In the North Sea it is a common practice with trawlers at certain seasons to put on a chain instead of a foot-rope for the purpose of mowing the flatfish out of the sand and mud. Tho vain- of the fish supply in any locality can only bo ascertained correctly by having each locality fished at different seasons, a trawling ground showing only a moderate or oven a poor supply at ono, season being capable of proving a prolific ground under- different conditions. The fishing was not carried out in tho manner followed by commercial undertaking, short hauls being made So as to get over the coast-line, but tho three months’ cruise produced 16,75011) of fish.

AN IDEAL TRAWLING GROUND. The report contains a detailed log of operations, from which much valuable Information io to bo secured. 0€ Canterbury Bight, the chief inspector states that it consists of such a vast extent of ideal trawling ground that it was impossible during the trip to make anything like the close survey which is necessary, and ho strongly urges tbo Government to make further tests, preferably during the summer months. "I feel confident.” reports the chief inspector, "that within this area the finest trawling ground in New Zealand and some of the richest fishing grounds will bo found. Having such convenient ports of shelter as Oamaru, Timaru, and A-knroa, and being within easy reach of the chief centres by rail and steamer increases its claim to further investigation.” ABOUND THE COAST. On a run from Lyttelton to Wellington the trawler made twenty-three hauls, largo masses of jelly fish were taken off Banks Pen insula and to tbo north of it. while the catch ns deeper water was approached consisted mainly of elephant and other unsaleable fish. Flounders wore taken up to twenty fathoms, beyond which -the chief edible fish were tamkihi and gurnard. Although small eandy patches wore found off the beaches on which trawling may he carried out, the soundings indicated uneven ground further off chore. The whole ground between Motunau Island and Crape Campbell is in all probability uor

suitable for trawling purposes. A haul at fifty-eight to seventy-five fathoms in the middle of Cook Strait pi winced very few edible fish and a number of largo dog-fish. Tho soundings given on the chart to the couth-pa-st of Cape Terawliitl indicate very great variations m depth, with steep drops of as much as fifty to ono hundred fathoms or more, and it is extremely unlikely that any stretch of trawling ground exist# m that i locality. Between Wellington and Napier nineteen hauls wore made. Good trawling ground won found towards the centre and cast side of Palliscr Bay. lairgo eolos were taken at eleven, to fifteen fathoms, and tnrakihi, gurnard, and fohnapper at all depths. The prospects on the cost wide of Hu; hay appear to bo very good, and might bo conveniently worked out of Wellington. No trawling wins attempted iK'tweou Cape la Hirer and Costlepoint, thc_ chart showing d<*op soundings close inshore. Seven hauls were made between CoMleponit :ij.<l Capo Kidnap pore, two fouls being mot with. Common and lemon roles, re*, cod, sebnapper, and tarakihi were taken at every haul, and might bo expected in payable quantities, but tho trawling area is narrow. Tho richctrt portion appears to bo between Bare Island and Capo Kidnappers! where the prospects are good <moo (ho foul ground ha# been located. . , A curious result between Napior and East Capo was that no flat fish were secured, though there were considerable hauls of tarakihi, sclmappor, and kingfish. A eerie# of hauls on tho ran. from East Capo to Auckland, commencing I about nine miles west of Capo Runaway and going in a south-westerly direction, resulted in the capture of a Barge numl>er of tarakihi, schnappcr, with a few John Dary, kingfiah. and hapuka. REMARKABLE CATCHES. Ccntrary to (expectations, a very considerable area of good trawling ground was found at the Chatham Islands. ! Whenever hand lines wore put .down, ■ largo catches of blue cod were made, almost all of exceptionally largo size. Two ; or throe blue cod or hapuka were usu- [ ally pulled up as soon as tho lino touch - 1 cd tho bottomand it wa# a sight to • see tho returning after a couple I of hours' fir'hing, loaded to the gunwale. Four Pitt Islanders, states tho Chief Fisheries Inspector, caught 2SO of the largest blue cod he had seen, in Rss than an hour and a hull's fishing off the north-west comer of Pitt Island. ; Six of tho crow caught 60G blue cod and 103 large hapuka, 1 trumpeter and 1 yellow-tail in seven hours off Whar.garoa, and on another occasion caught 860 blue cod in throe hours and a half. Almost all tho men were inexperienced in the art of blue cod fishing, making the catch all tho more remarkable. The Nora Niven's charter, which wag extended by tho Government, has still a fortnight to run.