ILLICIT FISHING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20431, 11 June 1928, Page 14

ILLICIT FISHING.

MIDDLEMEN! IN NEW SOUTH WALES. LESSONS FROM NEW ZEALAND. (From Ouk Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 1. There is at least one Minister of the Crown in New South Wales who is now willing to admit that it is possible for the State to learn something from New Zealand. This is the Chief Secretary, who seems to be awakening to the fact that there is absolutely no control over river and lake fishing. The open, free-for-all policy has been disastrous, and now complaints are being made by the amateur fishermen the Minister, somewhat belatedly, is seeking remedies. It is or. ly natural, therefore, that he should turn to New Zealand, which in this direction has accomplished so much that the Dominion is world-renowned. New South Wales is considering the New Zealand scheme of licenses, the revenue derived to be utilised in paying inspectors. The need for both licenses and inspectors is made clear by the amateur fishermen who have asked that net fishing in the rivers and lakes should be prohibited. The Chief Secretary replied that a complete prohibition of net fishing would mean that many married men, who had been fishermen all their liies, and good citizens to boot, would be deprired of their living. In his opinion any depletion of fish in the inland rivers had not been caused by these fishermen, but by those unscrupulous men who used illegal nets, dynamite, and other devices calculated to do enormous harm to fishing in the rivers visited. “ Abominable, damnable. and illicit ” were the terms he used to describe the methods of those men. . An increase in the number of inspectors would alone limit illegal activities of this sort, and the matter was now under consideration by his department. In fact, a Bill was being drafted which would, for the first time in the State, give definite recognition to amateur fishermen. There was a proposal, indeed, that t„e amateur should be licensed. Seriorft consideration was being given to the appointment of honorary rangers, as was done in New Zealand.