WILD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 61

WILD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

Br the Hon. G. M. Thomson*, F.L.S

No. 90.—QUINNAT SALMON (continued).

The attempt to introduce this fish was continued by various acclimatisation societies for a number of years, but unsuccessfully. This is, however, the first time that the history of these efforts has been made public. In 1877 a large order was sent to America, but owing to some bungling, or •wrangling, between the societies, which were always trying to a:t independently, and the Government, only 11 boxes arrived at Auckland, instead of 20 which were expected. Some were retained, and the others distributed to Nelson, Greymouth, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland.

The Auckland Society received 100,000 pva, and distributed them as follows: — 40,000 in the Punui River in the King Country, 8000 in the Thames, 7000 in a small stream near Wairoa North, and 43,000 in the Mangakahi River. About 95 per cent, were said to have hatched out. But this placing of ova in the rivers was a rather stupid procedure in face of the constant menage from- eels and. shags. Presumably the society did not have proper ponds for dealing with large numbers of ova. The Wellington Society again received some fry, about-1700, in this year, though it is not stated where they came from, and liberated them in the Hutt, in the Manawatu River in the gorge, 35 miles. from the sea, and in the Wairau, 15 miles up, and in the Wangamw, 19 miles from the mouth.

The Nelson Society received 25,000 ova, and placed them in the Motueka and Wairau Rivers. The Marlborough Societyappear to have received 500 fry, but where from I cannot find. Probably they are the same as are referred to in the S receding paragraph as having been berated in the Wairau. The Grey Society received a box of eggs, presumably 25,000, and these were placed in the Grey River.

The Canterbury Society received 50,000 ova, and hatched out between 30,000 and 40,000 fry. Of these 10,000 were placed in the Waimakariri, 10,000 in the Rangitata, and smaller lots in the Shag, Eurunui, and Heathcote. In 1880—three years later —three fish were caught in the Waimakariri, weighing 81b, silb, and respectively. These were considered by many to be true quinnat salmon,"but to make sure, it was resolved to get a true quinnat from America either in spirits or fc ice. However, with the lack of continuity which characterised so much of the work of the acclimatisation societies, this was never done, and the identification was not made.

The Otago Society shipment appears to have numbered 50,000. and it hatched out pretty well, for 13,000 fry were liberated in the Kakanui River, and 18,000 in the Waipahi. The Southland Society received 100,000 ova, and liberated 35,000 fry in the Oreti, 18,000 in the Makarewa (a tributary), and 10,000 in the Waipahi. Howard stated that the young fish were exceedingly healthy and strong. On February 1, 1878, the Colonial Secretary, writing to the Governor, states: "The half million salmon ova which arrived in November last have been successfully hatched and distributed to the different rivers of the colony; and that, owing to the extreme care with, which the ova was packed, about 95 per cent, hatched out. In addition to the half million sent at the request of the Government, an equal quantity has been Bent to the various acclimatisation societies without charge." In 1878 the Auckland Society imported 100,000 ova, and these were deposited in the tributaries of the Upper Thames, where "numbers of young fry were seen. Those placed in the Thames and in the Waikato in 1876 and 1877 had also been seen, and the report concludes that "the full stocking of both these streams is now little more than a question of time." As a matter of fact the fish were never heard of or seen again. In 1880 the Wellington Society liberated some 4600 fry in the Hutt River, probably from Auckland ova.

Nothing further in the way of introducing ova was done for many, years. All these early experiments failed, and though an occasional doubtful fish was taken, as recorded further on, the species did not succeed anywhere in establishing itself. The North Island attempts were foredoomed to failure, A simple examination of the conditions under which the Siuinnat lives in its native habitats would ave shown the futility of- trying to acclimatise it in the warm waters of the north. But such an examination does not seem to have been made, and money was thrown away recklessly for want of a little knowledge and common sense. The Canterbury Society's report -for 1885 states that a fish found dead in the Avon in February, 1884, was "identified by Dr Bean, Ichthyologist of the Washington Museum, as a Californian salmon." In its issue of August 21, 1895, tn> North Otago Times congratulates Mr George Dennison, of Hilderthorpe, on being the first angler to capture a properly identified true salmon in New Zealand waters. The salmon was taken in the Waitaki River. This paragraph was evidently based on the following correspondence. The "Field" of July "20 contained an account of four fish sent from the Waitaki Acclimatisation Society to the editor, who passed them on to Dr Gunther and Mr Boulenger. Nos. 1,2 and 3 were identified as belonging to Salmo fario. Of No. 4 from the Waitaki Elver they say:—"The specimen (length E9in, girth 15in, weight 9|lb) was a female with well-developed ova; it was not the fenglish Salmo salar, but undoubtedly an American species, but one which has not yet been decided." In the "Field" of tfuly 27, Dr Gunther further writes: —"ln fhe editorial note" (to previous letter)

"you assume that one of the specimens sent to you and examined by myself is Salmo quinnat, commonly called 'Californian salmon.' This specimen differs so much from the others of the same consignment, in the form of the head and its component parts, in the shape of the body and tail, as well as in coloration, that I must consider it to have a different origin than the other specimens, which, in fact, I regard as beautifully grown specimens of Salmo fario. It is certainly not a Salmo salar (as I think I demonstrated to Air Tegetmeier), neither is it Salmo quinnat, which has a many-rayed anal fin, and is readily recognised. Being told that Californian salmonoids had been introduced into the Waitaki waters, I consider if probable that that specimen might represent one of the numerous species of Salmo of the west coast of America, with which I am very imperfectly acquainted." After a lapse of several years, during which no importations were made, the Government took up the matter seriously, and a continuous policy was entered on. The credit of this is due to Mr Ayson, Government Inspector of Fisheries. Early in January, 1901, a shipment of 500,000 quinnat salmon ova was received from California, a gift from the United States Fish Commission, and of this, a portion was sent to Hakataramea, and the balance to Lake Ohau. In the following year 23,600 yearlings w ; ere liberated in tributaries of the Waitaki, and 20,000 retained in the ponds. In 1903 12,000 twenty-months old and 20,000 twenty-six months old were liberated in the Hakataramea River.

In January, 1904, 300,000 ova were received from .the United States as a gift, and 98 per cent, hatched out. _■ But evidently there were far niore received, for during the year 5000 three and a-half year quinnat were liberated in the Hakataramea, while in 1905 the numbers set free were 448 four-year-old, 12,000 one-year-old, 24,252 eight-months-old, aincl 162,613 .three-months-old. In December, 1905, a fish believed to be a salmon was caught in the Waitaki, and submitted to Sir James Hector, who said it was a true salmon grilse, probably belonging to Onchorhynchus quinnat, but he was unable to determine the species with certainty at that early stage. In 1906-another shipment of 500,000 ova was procured from San Francisco, which were brought over under charge of Mr Ayson. Half of these were taken to Lake Ohau, and 245,000 fry hatched out, which were liberated as soon as they had absorbed the yolk sac. The other half were equally successful at Hakataramea, 224,833 fry hatching out. In addition to the foregoing there were liberated in the Hakataramea" River 73 five-year-old, 12,587 two-vear-old. and 53,378 one-year-old' fish. On June 6th, 1906, Sir James Hector received a fish from Hakataramea of which he wrote : "The fish sent is a true Pacific salmon (Onchorhynchus quinnat), being a female of about *l6lbs weight." On June 29th he reported on three more fish from the same river. One Avas a male, 25 inches long, weighing 61bs; the second a female, 22 inches long, and silbs in weight; and the third (probably only a three-year-old fish) was 17 inches long, and only in weight. He thought it probable that all these fish, which were all in bad condition when received, belonged to Onchorhynchus quinnat. Both the. secretary of the Waitaki Society and the Collector of Customs at 'Oamaru stated that fish, supposed to be salmon, had been taken in the Waitaki and in Oamaru harbour by. fishermen, those indentified by Sir James Hector being of the number. These- captures seemed to establish the fact that the fish were now returning to the river to spawn, and that the naturalisation of the species was secured. In 1907 Mr Ayson again went over to San Francisco and brought back 500,000 ova, which reached Hakataramea on Bth April, and from these 482,000 fry hatched out. During the year 62 three-year-old, 21,282 two-year-old, and 224,647 one-year-old fish we're liberated in the Hakataramea River, and later in the year 290,000 fry.

The Report of the Marine Department for 1906-7 states that "this year fish which are undoubtedly quinnat salmon have been caught in the Hakataramea River, up which they are going to spawn, and the manager of the salmon-station reports that he has seen large numbers of them in the river." During May and June the manager obtained 30,000 ova, the first taken in New Zealand from these fish, from which about 25,000 fry were obtained: of these 17.000 were liberated in the river. In addition to the few fish which were stripped, numbers of salmon were seen spawning in the side streams of the- Waitaki from Station Peak to some distance above Kurow. also in the Aburiri River higher up, in the Ohau, Haldane, and Grav's Hill Greeks, and in the Mary Burn. In 1908 over 186.000 fish of different ages were liberated in the Hakataramea River, while 2000 were placed in the Selwyn River by the Canterbury Society. In this same year more and larger fish ran into the Hakataramea. and nearly 80.000 ova were obtained. In 1909 some 15.000 fish from imported ova w r ere liberated, and 59,000 from ova procured from river fish. Duiung the year a 51b quinnat salmon was caught near the mouth of the Rakaia River. This may either have come from the Waitaki or been one of the 200 fish which the Canterburv Societv liberated in 1907. In 1910 only 210,000 ova were obtained from the Waitaki, owiusr to the very dry summer which preceded the spawning season, and the low state of the rivers. Of these, 32,000 were reared at the station for liberation in the Hakataramea R.iver, 25,000 were sent to Tasmania, and 150.000 to' the hatcherv at Kokotahi, Wetland. From this last lot of ova about 145.000 fry hatched out, and were liberated in streams flowing into the Hokitika River, the stream which the Department decided should be stocked with this fish—7o,ooo being put into Harris's Creek, 50,000 into Murray's Creek, and 25,000 into Duck Creek.' There were also liberated this

vear over 47,000 fish into the Hakataramea River, and 3000 fry into the SeaforthMiackenzie River.