PROTECTION OF FISH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7928, 11 October 1911, Page 5

PROTECTION OF FISH

(To the Editor “N.Z. Times.") ef Sir, —If tho writer of a sub-leader on I rout at Rotorua/' which appeared in one of the Auckland pax>ers, would take the trouble to read up the history of salmon and sea trout iji England, Ireland, Scotland, and Norway, ho might considerably change his opinion as to net fishing and canning trout in Rotorua district. One peculiarity of the Taupo Lake's fish seems to be that the lake water has the same effect on them that the sea has on salmon. They run up tho river's to spawn, and return to lake when spent, where in a short time they regain all their strength and beauty, and largely increase in size. Were the fish netted for sale, in a very few years the result would be tho same as in the countries mentioned where fish is now so scarce as to be quite out of reach of a poor man. In Hereford on Wye, fish, about 60 or TO years ago, were so plentiful that apprentices stipulated in their indentures, that salmon should not be given them more than twice a week. Now, it is not the_ lot of any but wealthy people to taste it from one year to another. Many rivers in Norway, not half as good as those falling into Rotorua and Taupo Lakes, have been bringing in a rent of from «£10!X) a year upwards. Of late year's the falling off, due to the netting the mouths of the rivers, has, been so groat that the fisheries, both in the British Isles and Norway, are rapidly losing their value. If people hero would only realise tho money value of the Rotorua and Taupo rivers for fly fishing they would “Understand what short - sighted policy it would be, to destroy it. More particularly, if facilities for. transport of the.fish (caught with tho rod) to market wore arranged the rod fishing would supply all wants; indeed, far more, and anglers (wore the journey not so troublesome from Auckland to Taupo) would como from all parts of the world to spend their money and enjoy tho sport. Once begin to net and the best fishing in the world will soon be ns poor as it has become in the Old World rivers.

Stopping the fish going up the rivers to spawn, as has been don© in Eotorua for the last two or three winters, is the best and quickest" way of bringing the fish in Eotorua back to their former condition, because tho weaklings and the progeny of weaklings and all unfit fish can he taken at the barrier, and only the' best fish for spawning • purposes passed over the barrier to go up to spawn. The improved condition of the fish in Eotorua Lako this season is proof that this system is the best. The netting which took place this year in tho lake was certainly not the cause of tho improvement of the condition of the fish. As soon as-, a number of large, strong, healthy fish again inhabit the lake, that they will be so voracious (and being wellknowm cannibals) they will soon kill and destroy all the fish that are not strong enough to take care of themselves, or that havo any sign of disease or weak-, ness; in fact, tho food supply at the present time is simply enormous, and would fatten healthy fish at a great rate. To recapitulate, the best means of improving the condition of the Eotorua trout is to stop w'eaklings and diseased fish from breeding by preventing them going up the 'rivers to spawn, and by fostering tho growth of big fish to act as scavengers of the lake. Anyone having a sheep,- cattle, poultry, or any other breeding station would carry out the same principle. Animals and birds can he weeded out from time to time, but it- is impossible to weed out the bad fish, and nature alone can do the work satisfactorily. Taupo river and lake have not suffered -much yet from the breeding of weaklings, hut if the great slaughter of last season continues, especially during the spawning season, when the best and largest fish are taken, it is only a matter of a few years before Taupo fishing will be as bad as Eotorua was the season before last. I cannot too strongly point out that tho preventing of weaklings and diseased fish breeding by stopping them going up to spawn is possible in Eotorua, but nearly impossible in Taupo, because of the size of ■ the rivers, and, therefore, we must .rely entirely on the cannibalistic nature of the trout to keep the lake free from disease, and this, can only he done by preventing the wholesale butchery of splendid, wellconditionod fish at the mouth of tho rivers, day and night in April and May, when they are running up to spawn. It would rather surprise many of those who butchered the spawning fish in May to know that fishing for trout in May is illegal throughout New Zealand according to Act of Parliament, and that they were liable to a very heavy penalty for so doing. The natives should ; also be prevented from taking fish (always the largest and best), with the spear and pitchfork during May, June, July, August, and September. How can these fish be. expected to be in good- condition in November ■ and ■ December when the}’, get no peace? They are hunted and taken practically all the year round, and already the large decrease in the average size of the fish at Taupo is causing anxiety to all true fishermen.—l am, etc., JOHN WHITNEY. Auckland,. October 4-th.