ANGLERS CONFER

Southland Times, Issue 19966, 4 September 1926, Page 8

ANGLERS CONFER

IMPROVING FISHING

INTERESTING SCHEMES DISCUSSED

DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHLAND STREAMS.

Many interesting proposals aiming at the improvement of fishing in Southland streams were discussed at a general meeting of members of the Anglers’ Club last night. Mr. A. Welham, president of the club, presided over an attendance of about 40 fishermen, including members of the Acclimatisation Society. In opening the meeting the chairman said that it had been called at the suggestion of the Acclimatisation Society. There was a feeling among anglers that they were not sufficiently in touch with the body that was administering the money raised from licenses. The council of the society felt that it would be desirable to have the views of the anglers on various questions and also to clear up any misunderstandings that might arise. There was undoubtedly a faffing off in the fishing during recent years and unless something were done the stock might deteriorate even more, so any suggestions by the anglers would be welcomed by the society. PREVENTION OF POACHING. The first matter dealt with was the consideration of suggestions for the prevention of poaching and netting of trout in rivers and estuaries. Mr. Welham said that a good number of fish were taken annually by poachers and a great deal of harm was done when fish were going up rivers to spawn. Mr. R. Andrews suggested that the license fee could be raised to 35/-, thus giving the society an extra £4OO annually in revenue, sufficient to pay for another ranger. Fishing in New Zealand was the cheapest in the world, and a slight increase in the cost of licenses could be afforded by most anglers. Mr. E. Lyons said that it would be a good move to concentrate ranging on the New River estuary, where a good deal of poaching was admittedly going on. If the society could afford to supply a ranger to patrol the estuary in a motor launch a great deal of good would result. The speaker then moved: “That the society should appoint a ranger to watch the estuary more thoroughly at the beginning and end of the season than has been the case previously.” The motion was seconded and carried, and on the ihotion of Mr S. M. Macalister it was decided to pledge the support of the club to the society in the direction of preventing poaching. The question of the desirability of increasing the minimum penalties for poaching and other offences against the Fisheries Act was also discussed.

Mr. Macalister said that, under some circumstances, an increase in the minimum penalty -might not be advisable. He suggested that the word “maximum” be inserted in place of “minimum.” This was agreed to and it was decided to bring the recommendation under the notice of the council. REGISTRATION OF NETS. Referring to the advisability of registering all nets, Mr. Lyons said that this was a perfectly reasonable proposal. The nets could have a small tag attached and this would greatly facilitate investigation in cases of poaching. At present a dozen men could use a net on the New River estuary at night without being traced. The proposal to have all nets registered was agreed to unanimously. INCREASING THE LIMIT. The next matter on the order paper was the question of increasing the limit, from nine to ten inches. Mr. A. E. Tapper, a member of the Acclimatisation Society Council, said that personally he favoured increasing the limit and had tried to have the regulation carried into effect. One objection was that in some stream a ten inch trout was not as heavy as a nine inch one, as some species were deeply and heavily built. At the same time it was a move in the right direction. The chairman said that in such matters as this the council was reluctant in coming to any decision without hearing the views of the anglers. It did not wish to bring in so radical a change and perhaps come into violent opposition with a section of anglers. The proposal was carried unanimously. TROUT SANCTUARIES. The advisability of creating trout sanctuaries by closing portions of various rivers js a means of improving fishing and increasing the size of trout, which under present conditions show striking evidence of deterioration, was advocated strongly by several speakers. Mr. C. Blomfield said that in the New River whitebait and smelt did not go far up the stream, practically all being caught in the lower reaches. If a length of the river were protected it would allow feed to reach the higher stretches. Mr. G. Braxton opposed the proposal, and said that it seemed altogether too drastic. Mr. J. Ward suggested reducing the limit from 30 fish to say 10 or 15 in certain rivers. It seemed ridiculous that expert fishermen could go out to such a river as the Oreti and get the limit. (Laughter.) Mr. Tapper said that the problem was a difficult one. A special act of Parliament would be needed before a river could be declared a sanctuary, as it would otherwise be impossible to prevent riparian owners through whose land the river passed from taking fish.

The chairman said that the closing of stretches of rivers was an experiment that might have very interesting results. If nothing were done the fishing would get no better and if the were tried and found wanting it could be discarded without difficulty. Mr. Tapper said that he did not think the scheme was workable. The problem of the deterioration of fishing was one of cause and effect, and the only solution was to keep pouring ova into the streams. Mr. C. Mackie moved that the section of the Oreti River from Wilson’s Crossing to Lochiel should be closed for two years. The proposal was rejected by a large majority. REDUCING OPEN SEASON. The next matter to be dealt with was the desirability or not of reducing the open season from seven to six months by making the closing date March 31. Several speakers said that April was one of the worst months of the year fdr fishing, as the trout at this time were full of spawn.

Mr. Andrews said that in his opinion the length of the season was the crux of the fishing problem. If the season were reduced to three months the quality of the fishing would improve five-fold in a few years.

Contrary opinions were expressed by Messrs Tapper and Lyons, who said that spawning fish could be caught as early as February. In this matter the anglers would be running counter to. the aims of the society. It was decided to take no action in the matter. SALMON FISHING. On the question of stocking Southland rivers with Atlantic salmon, Mr Tapper said that he would sooner catch a dozen one pound trout on the fly than an eight-pound salmon. The problem was whether it was worth taking the risk of spoiling good trout fishing by placing salmon in the streams. The process would go on in a vicious circle, the salmon eating the young trout and feed and the big trout eating the young sahnon. Attention should be focussed on fully stocking the rivers in the watershed of the Waiau.

Similar sentiments were expressed by other speakers and it was resolved to recoin-

mend that the stocking of Atlantic salmon be confined for the time being to the Waiau watershed. OTHER SUGGESTIONS. It was decided, while approving of the Acclimatisation Society’s efforts in the past, to urge more intensive stocking as a means of keeping up the supply of trout. A proposal by Mr. G. Braxton that the Otapiri, Lora and Dunsdale streams be restricted to fly fishermen only was favoured by a bare majority of those present. It was finally agreed to leave the matter until the annual meeting of the Anglers’ Club for discussion.

It was resolved to urge the society to proceed with the work of exterminating eels and to pro . ide eel pots wherever necessary.