FISH INDUSTRY

Southland Times, Issue 22898, 25 May 1936, Page 6

FISH INDUSTRY

DEPLETED SUPPLY MINISTER’S WARNING

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, May 24. The importance of conserving the fish supply in New Zealand waters and of making improvements in marketing fish was emphasized by the Minister of Marine, the Hon. P. Fraser, in an interview yesterday. A great deal of scientific work had to be undertaken before those concerned with the depletion of the fish supply could get the right perspective on the question, the Minister said. There was no doubt that the seine net was an advance on the old methods of catching fish, but he could not shut his eyes to the fact that such netting undoubtedly affected the future supply of fish. The same remarks applied to trawlers which were excluded from some bays and the problem was how to keep the balance fairly between seine net fishermen, line, and set net fishermen and trawlers. Vital interests of livelihood were associated with every section of the fishing industry. Moreover, a great deal of capital had been sunk in various branches of the industry. “At the back of all these interests—and sometimes they are warring interests —there is the paramount interest of present and future generations of New Zealand people in the conservation of these sources of food.” Mr Fraser said that any action that may be taken must have full regard for this important aspect of the question. It must be the basis from which to start, as it has been the starting point adopted by the fishery. section of the Marine Department. “I am informed that additional inspectors are required to carry out the work properly. Although some correspondents have claimed that the present inspectors are not doing their job properly, the bulk of evidence available shows that the number of inspectors must be increased and that a certain amount of experimental regulation is required.” Commenting on the visits of Australian trawlers to New Zealand waters, the Minister said the position involved the question of territorial waters and whether there was need to extend the present limits. Parliament would be given the opportunity in due course to deal with the question. “There is room for improvement in the marketing of fish,” Mr Fraser added. “It would not do to have a recurrence of what happened some years ago in Wellington when fishermen discovered shoals of fish in Cook Strait near the rock now known as Fisherman’s Rock, and when, after hauling up hapuka as fast as they could for an extended period, the quantity of fish glutted the market to such an extent that the price fell to an abnormally low level, making it impossible for fishermen to carry on under those conditions. Fishermen are among the most hard-working men in New Zealand, and their occupation is beset with dangers. During rough weather there is the possibility every minute of loss of life. In a hazardous occupation they are entitled to an income that will give them an adequate return for their work and the risk involved.”