FLOUNDER FISHERIES DEPLETION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 93

FLOUNDER FISHERIES DEPLETION.

Our Bluff correspondent writes :—Growing apprehension exists relative to this important branch of the fishing industry. I have investigated matters as far as opportunity occurs, and would say that what follows is & fair resume of expert opinion on the point.. Each year the annual take throughout New Zealand shows a most preceptible falling off. If the decrease goes on at the rate it is doing, flounders in the near future will, from a staple, become a. rarity, such as affluence alone may indulge in. Three causes are assigned for this depletion. The first and most obvious is the want of a close season so as to protect the spawn period, and afford the fish themselves a reasonable chance for recuperation. The spawning is not, perhaps, very well understood, but I the expert idea is that it can be closely ! approximated. Flounders caugiht during the months of June. July, and August ara usually found to contain large quantities of spawn, and that is accepted by the fishermen as evidence that the season occurs during these months. Were four months, including these three, made a close season, the consensus of opinion is that it would overcome the difficulty, and afford material aid in preserving the fish. The next cause made mention of is not perhaps quite soapparent, but I am assured on substantial authority of its existence. The flounder has a deadly enemy in the black swan. These birds, I am told, devoure thousands of young fish annually. During certain months in the year, the north shore and arms of Bluff harbour literally swarm with them, and being protected by law their numbers are rapidly increasing. As many as 20 young flounders have been taken from the stomach of one bird, which goea to pro\ - e that they carry on a deadly destruction amongst the young fry. I know no ■ ecctoomic purpose served by protecting these birds, and unless some very substantial reason exists, their wholesale destruction of the flounder should leave them no quarter. The other causes made known to me are more local in tlheir application. Many beaches and river estuaries, excellent breeding grounds for the fish,' have been deluged with sawdust and sawmill debris. It provides an easy method for sawmillers to run off their refuse, but what ia gain to the sawmiller entails the loss of these fish, which is «. bia loss to the community at large. The trotrt !has, likewise, become a formidable opponent. That is shown in the serious falling^-off in recent years of flounder catches, in the New River. In a written communication • on the subject from a most intelligent Foveaux Straits fisher, he cays : "If the same supervision were exercised in regard to our native fish as is given to those imported, a great benefit would be conferred on the public, and also on those engaged in the fishing industry." At Southport a unique experiment has been, tried of establishing a. day nursery on the (sands, when© the babies of excursionists could be cared for or enjoy refresiini;