ANGLING IN SOUTHLAND

Southland Times, Issue 19657, 6 October 1922, Page 6

ANGLING IN SOUTHLAND

EELS, NETTING AND FOOD.

While referring to the annual report at the meeting of the Southland Anglers’ Club last evening, the president, Mr G. W. Braxton, mentioned the need for replenishing the supply of trout in the Southland rivers and suggested several ways in which this might be accomplished. His remarks led to an interesting discussion, which embraced a wide variety of subjects. After complimenting the Club on a successful season Mr Braxton stated that so far as fishing was concerned there appeared to be quite a number of anglers who had not got such good bagjf as in former seasons, and he Was of the opinion that the time had come when the Acclimatisation So ciety should make very strenuous efforts to increase the number of fish in thesjivers. He thought that there was an absence ofnatural feed and this might to some extent have accounted for the depleted stock of fish in the rivers last season. Some attributed it to the prevalence of eels and he bad certainly seen some unusually large ones during his fishing excursions last year. He believed that it would be advisable for the Angling Club and the Acclimatisation Society to join forces for the purpose of eliminating the eel as far as possible. The Society had given prizes to those returning the largest number of eels, but this was not sufficient, and an eel week would go a long way towards doing away with f he menace. The Society was also up again ?t the licensed netting ot trout at the river mouths.

Mr A. E. Tapper seconded the motion, but stated that he did not hold the same views as the chairman in regard to the depletion of fish in the river. Mr Braxton had partly put it down to eels, but these were more numerous in the early <lays than they were now. Nor did he consider that it could be attributed to the absence of natural feed. During the last six or eight years fishing in Southland had gone back and that pointed to only one thing and that was netting at the mouths of the rivers. Large fish went up the river to spawn and anglers relied upon these to replenish the supply of fish in the rivers. He remembered the tame when eeling parties,- went out and had no difficulty in capturing 40 or 50. It had also to be borne in mind that if the eels preyed upon the trout the trout also preyed upon the eel. For some time past the Acclimatisation Society had been working under difficulties and had not been in a position to liberate as many fry as it had expected. The hatchery at Mataura had also proved to be unsatisfactory, but when the new hatchery was established the Society would be able to turn out fry by ! .he million. That would mean that the Southland rivers would again be regarded as among the best fishing rivers in the world. The question of netting, however, was one which anglers could not overlook and he. hoped that the Club would receive the assistance of other clubs in trying to putf it

Mr A. H. Stock stated that reference had been made of the Acclimatisation Society and he ready to admit that the Society ever since it had had its hatchery at Mat aura had not turned out as many fish as usual, but as bad been mentioned, there were extenuating circumstances. With the new hatchcry, however, it hoped to substantially increase its output. He knew' from personal experience that large numbers of fish were coming up the rivers. He believed that there was something in what had been said in regard to the lack of natural feed. Some time ago the Society had the matter under <eview and had forwarded a petition to Parliament asking that a close season for whitebait should be observed every second year, but the petition had been thrown out.

Mr C. W. Wilson said that the Society had great schemes before it, but should give them careful consideration, and make sure that it did not run its head into a noose. He believed, however, that the establishment of a new hatchery would be of great value to fishing in Southland. In the past the Society had not liberated a sufficient supply of fry and a large proportion had not come to anything. With regard to netting at the mouths of the rivers, Mr Ayson had been talking about employing trawlers with a view of giving the public cheaper food. That had been tried before and had been a failure. If it was desired to encourage tourists that was not the way to do it, as it w 7 as sport and not cheap food, which attracted tourists from other parts.

Mr L. Whelnm expressed the view that neither eels nor the lack of natural food was responsible for the diminished stock of fish in the Southland rivers. He stated that the Makarewa river was as full, of eels as any other river in the province, yet it contained more trout than almost any other stream and the trout caught were, almost without exception, in fine condition. The only condition which had altered was the number of anglers, which had greatly increased during the last few seasons. Mr T. J. Meadows stated that the greatest enemy of all was j.he shag, and at Dargaville he had seen a pool full of dead trout as a result of the depredations of this bird. The secretary mentioned that he had received the returns from those licensed to net trout and it was a noticeable fact that in the years when the returns were the lowest, better results had been obtained by anglers. He had had personal experience of that fishing in J>he estuary. Last year when netting had been abolished, the fishing had been much better. The report was adopted.