DESTRUCTION OF SHAGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3115, 26 November 1913, Page 52

DESTRUCTION OF SHAGS.

THE OUTPOSTS INVASION. HOW TO PROTECT THE RIVERS. (From Our Own Cobkkhpondknt > INVERCARGILL, November 20. A very interesting Jetfcer from Captain Clare, harbourmaster at Invercargill, who resides at the New River Heads, was read at last evening’s meeting of the Southland Acclimatisation Society. Captain Clare was moved to write as the result of the recent decision of the council to raise the fee on shags caught within certain limits to 3s per head. “ I would like to say a few words about the destruction of the voracious shag,’' he wrote, “ and perhaps my Jong term of residence at the New River Heads enables me to say with some authority that to deal with the question so as to produce favourable results one must begin at the base. Now the base of the shag question, I consider, lies anywhere within the 'pounds of Fovcaux Straits, even including the inland waters at Stewart Island and certain lagoons between Greenhills and the Mataura River. On many occasions when fishing in the vicinity of Omaui Island, which lies at the entrance of the New River harbour, also at the Half Passage rocks situated between Omaui Island and the Riverton Heads, I have noticed that as soon as the sun peeps above the horizon scores of shags leave these places and invariably steer their courses for the rivers, numbers even making over that stretch of sandhills separating the coast from the New River. In fine easterly weather these birds return in the evenings to roost on the same rocks vacated in the mornings, but should the weather be westerly and rough they fail to make these rocks, evidently finding more congenial roosting places along the river banks and lagoons. I-am convinced that the shags one finds up the river reaches are the flankers or outposts of the main body, and by destroying them you don’t materially lessen the numbers. Besides, the few that visit the remunerative area at one time are not sufficient to warrant the loss of time and trouble in securing them. I would suggest lessening the fee and making the catchment area to include, say, the whole of Southland and the adjacent Islands. This, I think, would he the means of breaking up their roosts and rookeries, and perhaps of driving them from the coast. There js no doubt that the shag plays a big part in the depletion of our fish, and the question is worthy of Government consideration.” It was abundantly clear during the discussion that followed the reading of this letter that mein here were much impressed with Captain Clare’s views, and a special committee was set up to see how far other societies would co-operate were a wider campaign determined upon.