BEEP-SEA FISHING.

Otago Witness, Volume 30, Issue 2353, 30 March 1899, Page 62

BEEP-SEA FISHING.

The trawling experiments that have been made recently outside Otago Heads must convince the most sceptical that edible fish of great value exist in quantity on our coast. The small area of ocean floor trawled over in the recent trials constitutes only an infinitesimal portion of the trawling ground available within easy distance of Otago Harbour. As a matter of fact there is an uttbioken stretch, for anything known to the contrary, extending southward to near the entrance to Foveaux Strait, or, say, Waipapa Point, o\*er which U'uwling operations may be conducted without any serious obstruction. But without going so far afield it is clear that good trawling ground exists quite close to Otago Heads, so that when the new industry that is certain to spring up shortly has 'been fairly set agoing, a conitant supply of fish may be reckoned upon. The recent trials have proved that while flat fish are caught with equal facility in the cUy time and at night, a greater variety of fish come within the track of the net at night. Such active fish as the groper, barracouta, and kingfish, appear to lie upon the bottom to sleep or rest at night, and then come within the scope of the net. By day, on the other hand, they are actively swimming about ot some distance from the bottom, and, therefore, outside of the reach of the net. Some experience has been gained by even the few trials recently made, Dut it is' quite evident that we have nearly everything concerning the habits of our coastal fishes yet to learn. When the success or non-success of separate trials determines where the different kinds of fish are to be found most plentifully at different seasons of the year, trawlers will have gained their most important experience. Already the trawl has proved the occurrence of fishes not hitherto supposed to frequent these waters— that is, if they have been rightly named by the men who helped to catch them, — and as the work goes on still more important discoveries are likely to be made. The otter trawl, which was used for the trials, is a comparatively recent invention ; but it has practically superseded the older and clumsier beam trawl which played for a long time so important a part in deep sea fishing on the coasts of the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The otter trawl is simplicity itself compared with the beam trawi, and we were surprised to lera-n that it has not been introduced at Napier, the beam trawl being used instead. The otter trawl may be briefly described as follows: — A couple of oblong boards, varying in size according to the size of the net, "are attached to the latter, on 2 at each end. The otters are thick and strong in order to bear the heavy strain they have to resist when the net is in operation. In the net used recently on board the Plucky the otter boards were some 3£ft long by about 2£ft broad, and about 3i-i thick. 'Four chains attached to each corner converge to a strong iron ring, the steel warps by which the net is towed being attached to the central ring of each otter. The pair of chains at one end of the board are shorter than at the other, for an obvious reason. The lower edge of the board is heavily weighted by a sole plate of lead. The net is of tlie ordinary type, with a spread when stretched of 80ft but opening to 50ft or 60ft when in operation. It is attached to one end of the otter boards with a lead-weighted line along the bottom, and a cork-floated line at the top. The net tapers backwards, terminating in what is cillftl the cod end. The terminal opening of the latter is secured by a piece of strong rope, which is unfastened when the net is hoisted up over the deck of the trawler to allow the fish to drop out. When the net is lowered into the sea and the trawler steams ahead, the otters are towed through the water, presenting a diagonal face to the direct line of resistance. The result is that the boards shoot outwards as far as the converging resistance of the net and warps will allow, and so stretch the net. The otters may be attached each to a separate cable, or by a bridle to a single cable, and the net hauled along by the latter. If two separate Avarps are employed the net spreads better ; but care must be taken to see that both warps are paid out an equal distance. It is calculated that the net opens vertically several feet more than the vertical diameter of the otters ; but it is self-evident that the net will only remain open and stretched while the necessary speed is kept up. When at rest it collapses. Such ir brief is a description of the otter trawi, which is one of the best modern inventions as an adjunct to the fishing industry. For a description of tho more important of the fishes caught at the recent trials we are indebted to Mr R. A. A. Sherrin's work — " Handbook of the Fishes of NewZealand " — the only scientific treatise that has so far been published on this important subject. But now that trawling has been established on our coasts, the time should be opportune for collecting data to supplement Sherrin's invaluable work.

Sole ( Peltorhamphus Novfe Zealandre). — Of this fish Sherrin says: — "The New Zealand sole is an inferior table fish to the patiki (flounder), and not equal to the English sole in flavour. It is not so common as the patiki, and for that reason alone is more in request, and commands a better price on the market. The sole is caught along with other flat fishs, and is easily distinguished by its oval shape and curious hooked fleshy snout, which conceals the mouth on its upper side. . . . The sole frequents est\iarics, because it finds a large portion of its food there. A large proportion thereof is supplied by the mud, which?they swallow, containing organisms in a living or decomposed, or semi-decomposed, state, with which such locality abound. The fle^h of the fish is not so firm when it lives in a sandy home as when it has a feeding ground where organic nutter is mixed with tlie mud."' Of the abundance or otherwise fif the NewZealand sole, Sherrin says we cannot speak with certainty untfl more is known of its habits. If it resembles the sole of the North Sea it will frequent tlie e'stuaiies during the summer months, and retiiu to a deep-water winter habitat in the colder months. The sole is mostly a night feeler, remaining auiescenfc duxius the Uax, wliicii

will probably account for the "larger "catches at night. There are two varieties of-soles well known here, one of which attains a very large size, fish weighing from 61b to 81b having been taken with the Seine net in Nugget Bay and iat Catlins. When the trawlers have discovered the summer and winter habitat of these fish it is not unreasonable to expect that they will be brought to market in great quantity. In the New South Wales trawling expedition three species of sole wore caught, but in extremely limited quantities, in marked contrast with the experience of trawling on the New Zealand coast.

Patiki (Rhombosolea Monopus). — Sherrin gives the native name to this fish, better know as the flounder. The scarcity of this fish amongst the flat fish taken by the trawl is remarkable, for the flounder is a very common fish on the New Zealand coast. But a study of its habits will afford the best explanation of its scarcity in deeper waters. Sherrin says :— " The patiki is very common in the shallow bays and tidal estuaries on every part of the coast, and is everywhere highly esteemed, both by Natives and Euiopeans.

.The usual weight of .this delicate fish is from £lb to 21b, but they are frequently obtained of a much larger size.'* How many, species of flounder occur on our coast Sherrin does not -say ; but at least two varieties are common. No less than four species of flounders were caught off the coast of New South Wales, some apparently existing in quantity all along the seaboard of that colony. Flounders were taken for the most part -in shallow water (15 to 30 fathoms), although they were caught in nearly every haul \ip to 80 fathoms. As some seasons of the year the flounder will probably re"tire to deep water and then the trawl may be expected to pick it up. In passing we may note that the brill has been named amongst the flat fish caught and lumped together with the soles in enumerating the catch. This is clearly a mistake ; the brill is extremely rare, and rot included in the list of edible fishes. Of this fish Dr Hector wrote : "It has been termed brill on account of its being the only one of our flat fish with the eyes on the left side of the head ; but it is small in size, and so full of bones that it cannot be eaten with any comfort." It was found by him in Preservation Inlet.

Gurnard (Trigla kumu). — This fish is described by Sherrin as follows: — "Above, olive, largely ihottled with reddish ; below, reddish white. Gurnard are very plentiful, and full nets are sometimes drawn in Wellington with no other firsh in them. The specimens caught off Otago Heads gives this fish a wider range than hitherto assigned to it. The lull-grown fish are about 41b weight, very good eating withal. Tarakihi (Chilodactilus Macropterus).'— This fi^h with the very formidable scientific name is very common in the North Island. Dr Hector wrote of them: — " Thi*--is a very common fish in th market, and comes into season in September. Two sizes are generally sold during the spring months:— the smaller, 31b to 41b, being the best; the flesh of the larger fis-h being considered iather tasteless. Throughout the whole year the tarakihi may be caught with the hook in 10 to 25 fathoms with a sandy bottom." Captain Fairchild wrote : " They are chiefly caught about Cook Strait and the Bay of Plenty." Captain Hutton gives its range as the Australian seas. In Tasmanian waters it is known as the black perch An _ authority says: — "It is ar excellent fish, many preferring it to the trumpeter." In Sydney it is called the carp, and its length varies from 12in to 18in. The number caught on the last trawling experiment off the Otago Heads would lead to the conclusion that this fine fish exists in numbers off our immediate coast.

Red Cod (Lotella Bacchus). — The red cod is so well known that no extended description is required. Although a number of very small fish were taken with the trawl the supply of those fish is more likely to be kept up with line fishing. Still at times the trawl may drop across shoals of them, and so help to swell the volume on the market.

Groper (Oligorus Gigas). — Although generally considered the " poor man's fish," the groper is one of our important foodfishes. This fish is common to our coasts everywhere. At times immense schools cruise along the coast, and at such a time, if they' happened to come within the track of the trawl , t a great number would be taken. The* groper will, however, be generally caught with the hook and line, and should offer a splendid opportunity during the season of plenty for deep-sea line fishing. By some the groper is considered as fine a fish as tlie Newfoundland cod, and no doubt a large export market can be found for it either frozen or cured.

BaiToeouta (Thysites Atun). — Another fish whose habits better adapt it for line fishing (or rather rod and line) than for trawl fishing. This fish has a wide oceanranging habit, and is sometimes more plentiful off the Tasmanian coast -than in New Zealand waters. Kingfish.— The fish called kingfish by local fishermen is not the fish known by that name in Wellington and the North Island generally ; but the barracouta pike, a fifh somewhat resembling the barracouta, but with a larger head and thicker body in proportion to it? length. It is, however, a finer flavoured fish than the barracouta, with an abundance of juicy flesh. The true kingfish (.Seriola Lalandii) is a much larger fish, in shape more like the tunny goodsized .specimens weighing up to 401b. Moki (Latris Ciliaris). — This is one of the finest food-fishes found on our coa-sts, and ie is common to the whole coast line. In the North Island it is chiefly taken with the net, although our fishermen occasionally catch it with hook and line. Sherrin says the usual size its from 21b to 41b, but it sometimes reaches 191b in weight. The larger fish, like the trumpeter, keep ,to deep water, and probably when trawling is a stable industry both moki and trumpeter will come into the net. t The latter fish off the Tasmanian coast in 20 to 80 fathoms of 'water attains a weight up to 601b.

Ling (Genyptems blacodes). — The ling is a very fine food-fish, which finds ready sale in the Australian markets. The ling is generally taken, with the hook* but it

jhay.be found trawling' Banks ;*"* as, a matter of fact line fishermen catch it on all kinds of bottom. !From its migratory, habit the trawl is likely to come across it in quantity at'times. When our fishermen, however, resort to deep-sea set lines ling will be caught in greater plenty probably than with the trawl.

As for the skates, dogfish, elephant fish, etc., taken in the trawl, these may be considered only fit for manure, although portions of the skate are .eaten by some. No doubt as trawling proceeds other fishes almost unknown in our markets will be caught in marketable quantity ; but sufficient has been learned to prove that the wealth of our coastal waters is»in keeping with the fertile soil and rich mineral wealth of the land. The harvest of the sea when it comes to be gathered in will prove quite as rich as the harvest of the land..