SALMON AND RAINBOW.

Southland Times, Issue 21822, 27 September 1932, Page 7

SALMON AND RAINBOW.

To the Editor.

Sir.—l trust that your correspondent, A. E. Tapper, will not charge me with discourtesy if I obtrude certain observations arising out of his lengthy, open letter to the Chief Inspector of Fisheries, Wellington. For my own part I welcome Mr Tapper’s entry into the discussion on the Te Anau salmon, as it is of the utmost importance that every aspect of the question should be fully investigated in order that a constructive policy, governing both rainbow and salmon, may be drawn up for future guidance. I am in agreement with Mr Tapper when he states that. Atlantic salmon have been acclimatized to the waters of Te Anau but, conversely, I hold that the acclimatization has not been successful. This contention is borne out by the fact that, up to the present, the fish have not developed the migratory habits of the Salmo salar familiar to other countries. I believe, however, that the acclimatization of the salmon can be attended with success and, with your indulgence, sir, my views on the means to this end will be. disclosed in a subsequent letter. Meantime I propose to deal seriatum with the points raised in Mr Tapper’s letter and, if need be, address a number of questions which I should be pleased if he would be good enough to answer.

(1) Mr Tapper states that for a number of years, as a member of the council of the Southland Acclimatization Society, he held the belief that the society should not be troubled with departmental interference in the control of Atlantic salmon at Te Anau. Would he now think that the present council is incompetent to handle the problem? (2) While fully appreciating Mr Tapper’s adroit attempt to cast full responsibility on to the shoulders of Mr Hefford, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, I ask, does he at the same time consider it “cricket” to bludgeon Mr Hefford to his way of thinking, vide, the hangman’s rope? (3) Mr Tapper admits the existence of an agreement between the society and the Marine Department, that the Waiau system should be reserved for the stocking of salmon alone. I would ask Mr Tapper whether this contract was kept inviolate and, if not, did he as a member of the council acquiesce in the breaking of the agreement? It is desired that this question be answered with a simple yes or no. For the information of your readers I would mention that Mr Tapper, in the N.Z. Fishing Gazette of June 1, 1929, in referring to the brown trout in Te Anau not being surface feeders, states, “we hope the rainbows, which are becoming established in the lake, will overcome this.”

(4) Mr Tapper is wide of the mark in suggesting that the question of liberating rainbow in the Waiau system is one of recent birth as, to the best of my knowledge, the subject has been thoroughly discussed for the past five or six years. Will Mr Tapper please state what section of the angling community advocated the discontinuing of the Salmo salar? Certainly not those who champion the cause of the rainbow.

(5) Mr Tapper’s innuendo with reference to pot-hunting is best answered in the words of the dying Caesar, “Et tu Brute!” Your correspondent, however, might define the point at which good sport terminates and pot-hunting begins. (6) I am in cordial agreement with Mr Tapper that the salmon ova should not have been removed from Southland in this way, to a certain extent, have reduced the head of fish. This, of course, is purely conjecture, and both Mr Tapper and myself would be well advised not to indulge in idle speculation.

(7) I would like to assure Mr Tapper that there is no question of “pandering to the outcry of a few anglers” as fully 90 per cent, of anglers are in favour of the rainbow. Please, Mr Tapper, don’t bury your head in the sand like an ostrich.

(8) Mr Tapper’s suggestion _ for a policy of conservation by closing the Upukororo for a period of four or five years is merely trifling with the question. The obvious thing to do. is to place an embargo on salmon fishing for the next ten years. May I ask if Mr Tapper would agree to this? (9) In comparing the weights of the Te Anau and British salmon your correspondent declares that there are many more salmon taken out of the British water under ten pounds than over. In this connection it may interest him to know that the average weight of the Severn salmon for the year 1930 was 18Jlb., and for the river Wye the weight for 1929 was 19.11 b. Why does Mr Tapper produce herrings when he is supposed to be dealing with the lordly salmon? (10) Mi - Tapper takes it for -granted that a certain proportion of the Te Anau salmon has acquired the seagoing habit. Science (and this is. a scientific question) takes nothing for granted and evidence has yet to be produced that the fish return from the sea. May I again refer Mr Tapper to the number of the N.Z. Fishing Gazette previously quoted in which he solemnly assures a correspondent that “There is no actual proof that the salmon return to the sea ” To sum the position up with a few words, it would seem that Mr Tapper prefers to have a unique piscicultural problem at Te Anau rather than a lake teeming with sporting fish.—l am etc., SALMO IRIDEUS.