ATLANTIC SALMON

Southland Times, Issue 22012, 11 May 1933, Page 4

ATLANTIC SALMON

SOCIETY’S REPORT, POLICY OF ACCLIMATIZATION COUNCIL. In the annual report of the Southland Acclimatization Society the following reference is made to Atlantic salmon:— The question of the future policy tc be adopted regarding Atlantic salmon in the Waiau watershed was a matter’ of serious consideration by the council during the year. A letter was received from the Southland Anglers’ Club asking that a vigorous policy of stocking Lake Te Anau with rainbow trout he adopted in view of the alleged failure of the Atlantic salmon as a sporting fish. Ultimately the council decided not to liberate any more rainbow in Lake Te Anau at present, but to persevere with Atlantic salmon and that a special sub-committee bo set up to consider the matter and report to the council. In arriving at this decision the following matters were taken into consideration by the coun cil; (a) The probable deleterious effects on our brown trout ova supplies consequent on the introduction of rainbow; (b) the reported capture of some large salmon apparently sea-run in the Upukororo traps last winter (1932); (c) the doubt whether the Atlantic salmon have deteriorated as suggested. The records of the salmon taken in the Marine Department’s traps (the onlv scientifically accurate records available) do not support the alleged deterioration; (d) in 1929 the Marine Department abandoned its policy of removing all the salmon ova from Te Anau and commenced re-stocking ths Waiau watershed and are continuing this policy. It seems desirable to give this policy a thorough trial as the results of the re-stocking will not be apparent for a few years; (e) the successful acclimatization of sea-run Atlantic salmon in the Waiau watershed would be a unique achievement and the experiment should be persevered with. The sub-committee has considered the matter of their report and have conferred with Mr A. E. Hefford, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, and had the benefit of his views. It has also referred the matter to the Central FreshWater Research Committee for advice. The Central Research Committee has asked for a number of scientific records and observations before finally advising, but unfortunately these records are not available. Tire sub-committee, however, hopes shortly to be in a position to make a report, so that a definite policy may be adopted and adhered to for a number of years.

It appears from the traps in the streams at Te Anau that the Upukororo is still the spawning stream of the great majority of the salmon at Te Anau. Some salmon were taken in the Eglinton, but this trap was erected late in the season and may have missed the main run in this river. Only two or three salmon were taken in the Wairaki trap. The principal angling for salmon, as in previous years has been in the Waiau River between Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri and at the outlet of the Waiau River from Lake Te Anau. A considerable number of salmon were also caught in Lakes Gunn and Fergus, two lakes in the headwaters of the Eglinton River, about 50 miles from Lake Te Anau. It seems that the stocking of the Eglinton River with Atlantic salmon has been successful.

The salmon caught in the Waiau river and in Lake Te Anau are much the same as last year, probably totalling 300 to 400. The size is also much the same as last year, the fish running from 3Jlb to 81b, with an average of 411 b to 51b each. A few salmon, probably 10 to 12, were caught in tidal waters at the Waiau mouth and a few at various places in the river between Manapouri and the sea. All anglers are agreed that the salmon caught early in the season are practically all kelts or are in poor condition and that the season should not open till say November 15.

The committee would again urge anglers in the tidal waters of the Waiau to supply full particulars, measurements, weights, etc., of all salmon caught, together with scale samples from same. A small proportion of salmon are taken each year in the traps in the Upukororo at Te Anau from 9 to 131 b in weight and these are believed by experts with experience of salmon in Scotland to be sea-run fish. These salmon have not the grilse shape of the river or lake salmon at Te Anau, but resemble brown trout in shape. They have also the square tail of a brown trout. The male salmon have dark red spots, the typical “spawning livery” of the Scottish salmon, quite different from the silvery or blue lake fish. It is quite probable that anglers capturing these salmon at the Waiau mouth in tidal waters would mistake them for sea-run brown trout.

Even the experts of the Marine Department have difficulty in distinguishing these salmon from brown trout and have to resort to scientific data to distinguish them, e.g., number of scales between medial and dorsal lines, number of gill-rakers, position of anal fin, etc. These facts serve to indicate the necessity of further investigation and hold out veiy definite hopes that a race of sea-run Atlantic salmon may soon be established in the Waiau watershed and that a certain amount of success may already have been obtained.