ACCLIMATISATION OF LOBSTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 57

ACCLIMATISATION OF LOBSTERS.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SHIPMENT ' BY THE KARAMEA. The Shaw-Savill liner Karamea, whicl arrived »t Port Chalmers yesterday mornf ing, brought another shipment of live lobt srtenj and orabs for the Ofcago AcolijnatiaaY tion Society, and the result achieved b; Captain Holmes and Mr Finlayson {tb< ohief engineer) is highly gratifying. Out 0 the total number of lobsters put into th< tanks before sailing two died in the tropioi and one succumbed later, leaving 31, whioi ?,rrived in fine healfhy condition, 15 beinf emales. The edible ora.be did not fftan< the voyage so well, six having died during the voyage, leaving eight survivors, all ol the crustaceans being token in oharge by Mr Anderton immediately upon arrival ana ramoved to the Portobello marine fish hatchery. Tii© tfrranaeinertte made for transit a thu4

described by Mr Finlayson: — An. insulated [ ohamber was constructed in the forward • part of No. 2 'tween decide on the starboard side, in which was placed a 400 gal iron tank, fitted within the insulated oham- { ber and conneoted with the refrigerating machinery. The discharge air was thus , made to circulate around the tank and re- ' turn through four boiler tubes fitted j through the centre of the tanks, being spaced about 2ft apart to give a large cooling space. A trunk was fitted from the box to the lobster ohamber and the circulating tank was connected to the sanitary tank on the boat deck, thus securing * constant supply of fresh sea water, which could be cooled by the foregoing arrangements as occasion demanded. A wooden tank divided into 36 oompartmente was placed in the ohamber, each lobster being kept separate, the water supply passing from the insulated tank through perforated pipes, which kept the water falling a sufficient height- fo ensure aeration. The success of this arrangement is proved by the fact that tbe temperature of the water as supplied to the lobsters never rose above 63deg Fah. whereas on former occasion* it rose much higher. On this voyage the temperature of the sea water rose to 83deg Fah., -but by means t>f constant circulation from the insulated tank and the iwe of about five tons of ice, the heat of the tropics was counterbalanced by the constant supply of cooled water. The orustaoeane were fed once a day with herring mnd gurnet, but as they did not relish the latter Mr Finalyson suggests small soles or flounders as a substitute, although herrings seem to be the favourite food. \ Mr Finlayson states that it is necessary that the fish compartments should be emptied out once every day and all dirt and refuse removed, preferably by means of a syphon. In the tropics it is advisable to do this more often on account of the higher temperature ot tbe fr»rt«r. The principal factors emphasised by Mr Finlayson are a constant- circulation of water, which must on no account be allowed to rise above 72deg Fah., absolute oleanlijness of water and compartments in which tbe lobsters are confined, and ample means of separation, as the lobsters generally injure themselves fatally if allowed to fight. Hitherto shipments of lobsters were ' H by rail to London, and having judged i/y their limp appearance when received on board that the "overland journey wae injurious to start with, Captain Holmes oame ' to the oonelusyjn that it was desirable to ■nip them at Plymouth, and, mentioning 1 iflie fact at headquarters this trip, the Shaw- j Savili Company v«ry generously allowed the 1 steamer to call there for them. By this means the fish were placed in the Karaxmea's tanks with all risks reduced to a i minimum, and the results - achieved this trip are such as to reflect the highest credit on Gaptain Holmes, Mr Fiulavson, . and the I refrigerating englHeer (Mr Ridley), whilst j Jgie kindness and assistance rendered by the Shaw-Savill Company are deserving of the highest praise. \ *