STEWART ISLAND

Southland Times, Issue 20667, 24 April 1929, Page 7

STEWART ISLAND

FISHING INDUSTRY

ORIGIN SOME SIXTY YEARS AGO

CHANGED METHODS

(By

L.W.G.)

With the close of the tourist season, Stewart • Island reverts once more to the even tenor of its way. Gone are the turbulence and the gaiety. No bands of youths and maidens roam the leafy lanes, or make the air vibrant with song and laughter. Instead there pervades the whole island atmosphere of isolation, and except at early morning, when the fishing craft are getting under way, or at evening, when they return, there is little sign of animation or activity. But the inhabitants are not idle. On the waters, the men are busy gleaming from the depths the finny harvest, which now becomes almost the sole source of employment at this enchanted spot, and it is interesting to recall those incidents which were epoch-marking in this important industry. Fishing.had its origin there some sixty years ago when the Government brought out a number of Shetland Islanders, and built quarters for them at Port William. The venture, however, was not a success, for it was discovered that the Home methods would not apply in these waters. But the men did not give up because of this, instead they tried various ext>erimcnts in the method of catching. They sent fresh fish from the Island to Invercargill, wnile a certain amount they smoked, and shipped from Bluff to Melbourne. Sometime later a heavy duty was put on the fish arriving in Australia, and this caused av temporary cessation of the Melbourne trade. The failure of the Home methods, and the duty demanded at Melbourne, combined to make the fishermen's lives an arduous struggle, but in spite of this they persevered and kept the industry going. At this time numbers of Maoris were engaged in the work, and they took on board with them their female relatives, who fished with the enthusiasm displayed by all women who toil at a man’s work, and think there is a chance to outshine their rightful lords, the sterner sex. These women kept their fish separate from the catch of the men, and received so much a dozen for them, according to the. state of the market. One conjures up visions of placid waters at sunset, the pale gold rays streaming through the long, raven locks of the women, their dark eyes aglow with pride after a good day’s catch, their noses in close proximity to those of their lords. One conjures up visions—one sees barelegged, bare-headed Amazons, with ample breasts and calves, their breaths redolent of mutton birds, their arms like the village blacksmith's, hauling in a line with the strength of a man, tearing the hooks from the fish, and throwing them with bloodstained hands, to the greasy decks. One conjures up visions, but one realizes they were doing good work. Advent Of Oil Engine. In its initial stages, fishing was carried on at the Island in open boats, later came sailing cutters, and finally the present auxiliary power boat. The first vessel to carry an oil engine was the Tui, owned by William Rein, and this method of propulsion proved so great a success, that the others became eager to install a similar power, and it was not long before practically all the fishing craft- had auxiliary power plants. Fishing now ,became more of a business and less of a gamble. It lost much of the hardship attached to it when there were only sails and oars to battle against the caprice of the elements, and the catches gained- were’ much- greater too, for the boats could reach the grounds much more rapidly Than., was - the- case with the old method of propulsion. : About forty..years ago a. fish canning shed was .erected’.-by Robertson Bros., at Horseshoe Bay, and another by Lea.sk and Sons, in Halfmoon. This gave the industry an impetus, and it now began to reach an important stage. Some of the fisherriien had wells., built in their boats, with gratings in the bottom to let in sea water. By this means the fish were kept alive, until the vessel returned to port, sometimes at intervals of a week; however, this'method proved to be more cumbersome than efficacious and was eventually abandoned. The men were now being payed seven and sixpence to ten and sixpence a barrel for their fish, and were often cheated owing to many-of the casks having false bottoms. The casks would be kept on the ship which met the fishing craft, collected their catch, and returned with it to port. This vessel would run alongside, the fish would be hoisted aboard in baskets, and emptied into the casks in such manner that the fishermen could not have the opportunity of inspecting them closely, and by the false bottoms causing the casks to hold more than their rightful number, the fishermen received less return than was their due.

This is all done away with now, the men receiving so much a hundred for the fish, a sum which varies according to the size of the fish and the merchant with whom they have a contract. In the year 1893 enormous hauls were obtained at Port Adventure, twenty-three boats and seventy men being employed there. This was the record year in the annals of Stewart Island fishing, and never since has the finny food been afflicted with such a revenous desire fo take the fatal bait. Varieties of Fish. Practically all the fishing at the Island is now done with lines, for netted fish do not keep and do not freeze well. Of the fish caught, the varieties include blue cod, groper, trumpeter, and crayfish. The last mentioned has not much of a market, and is not much tried for by fishermen. The usual method of procedure, on reaching the fishing ground is to hoist a small sail on the inizzen mast, and drift broadside on to the waves. This permits the lines to trail away from the boats a sufficient distance apart to avoid the entangling of one with another. Usually six hooks are attached to a line, baited with cubes of fish, and lowered overboard. The movement of the boat through the water soon leaves the hooks floating at a distance. When a bite is felt. the. fisherman hauls in the line as rapidly as possible until the fish begins to struggle. He then holds it fast until the struggle ceases, upon which he hauls in rapidly again. He may have to repeat these actions two or three times before finally hauling the exhausted victim on deck, where he dislodges the hook from its gills, and flings it aside to rebait the line, and lower it overboard again. A good fisherman may work two lines, and catch as many as three hundred in one day, but it will have been a very long day, and an exceptionally favourable one. The average catch of an average man comes to about one hundred and fifty per diem. This number cannot be sustained for an average over the season because much time is lost through unfavourable weather. Also the close of the season leaves the fishermen with three or four months of the year in which he must turn to other sources, often not materializing, for wfirk. The most that can be said for fishing is that it offers a fair wage, in return for numerous risks, hardships, and long hours of hard work. When the boats return at night, or after a few days, according to arrangements, the men cut the heads from the fish, gut them, and send them to the cleaning sheds for a final cleaning, from where they are sent Jo.the freezer, and so pass into the hands of the merchants. With the advent of the freezing works at Bluff twenty-five years ago. the industry was finally stabilized, and is now not only the chief, but almost the sole support, of the inhabitants at Stewart Island.

Ten years have passed since the establishment of a: freezer at Halfmoon Bay', but from information received, it has not been

completely satisfactory. There have been many disputes lately between merchants and fishermen, and one hears conflicting tales concerning them, but whatever the outcome, may be, one thing is certain,, that as long as Stewart Island is inhabited fishing is likely to be the main support of its people.