FISHING AND SHOOTING

Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1930, Page 7

FISHING AND SHOOTING

WORK OF ACCLIMATISATION

NEW HATCHERY AT DURHAM ROAD

SOCIETY’S ANNUAL MEETING.

'At the 67 th annual meetjng of the North Taranaki Acclimatisation Society at New Plymouth last night Mr. W. R. Johns presided over a good attendance.

The president’s report stated that the main activity of the society during the year had. .been the purchase’ of land at Durham Road on the Ngatoro Stream and the erection of a fish hatchery and a curator’s residence. It had been considered necessary to make some such move in view of the uncertainty of obtaining, good, results in the Pukekura Park hatchery and a thoroughly up-to-date establishment was now almost ready. It was able to deal with five times the number of fry handled previously. It was hoped, as funds permitted, to provide ponds for the rearing of yearlings and stock fish and a race and trap on the river for the catching of wild fish for ova. *

The shooting phase of the work of the society would not be forgotten and the land was eminently suitabi? foi the successful rearing of birds. This work would be undertaken when the financial position warranted it. During the las: hatching season the old hatchery in Pukekura Park had been used and approximately 300,000 fish had been successfully raised and liberated m excellent condition. This result had been due largely to the splendid work of the curator, Mr. L. M. Barr. Mr. Banhad made many valuable suggestions during the building of the hatchery and had accomplished splendid work in making gear for the next hatchery season. LADDERS FOR FISH. A matter which had caused some thought was that of the fish ladders on the river weirs at Opunake, Waiwakaiho and Tariki. Very sat.sfactorj’ arrangements had been made with regard to the Waiwakaiho and anglers were assured that there would be no difficulty in the fish running when this .work was completed. It was hoped that improvements would be made at Opunake and Tariki. Conflicting reports had been made regarding the catches during the sea son; but the general opinion 'was that there were still many .fish in- the streams. . Prospects for shooting were only fair. Quail and pheasants were again plentiful, but unfortunately some illegal .shooting of these two or three weeks before the opening of. the season .had been, reported; and it was impossible to too-strongly condemn this practice. : It was hoped, when <he Durham Road property was in working order, to turn out a sufficient n anber of birds to make shooting worth while.. 'Dr. G.' P. Adamson considered the members of the society should congratulate themselves upon the progress made. It was commendable that they were not only providing for . the present but also for future. requirements, lhe various business firms they had done business with had treated them in a.’‘sporting manner,” and now. the continuity of success depended solely upon the assistance given by the members; loeir past president, Mr. .Grover, had shown great foresight in adopting the policy of wisely, placing the surplus funds each year into the bank instead of putting fish into the rivers, it was that retrenchment over a . number of years that had enabled them to build up a fund of £144)0. That pblicy had ccen largely condemned at the time, but all now realised the wisdom of the scheme. They now had a hatchery which was one,of the most up-to-date in New Zealand. The immediate prospects for gunmen were not very encouraging. However, the time was coming when a plentiful supply of game could be asfured. POLICY IN LIBERATION. Mr. Grover remarked that Lie opening of the hatchcry had been great day for him. His policy aad been to save money and it was left to the sitting committee to do the spending. There was no doubt that the money had been well spent. He held tne opinion that the scattering of fij m toe streams was of no benefit. Murii better results could bo obtained through the liberation of yearling fish. He deplored the unsportsmanlike methods adopted by some people. In reply to a question the secret a’y stated that the total cost of L »e new hatchery was £1547. Mr. C. M. Hill considered that w;ta the funds available no better results could have been achieved. Regaid.r.g the liberation of yearling fish, he agieed with Mr. Grover to a certain extent, but during the past few weeks he had been considerably enlightened regaiding the liberation of fry. He lock for an example the fry which had o.ccn liberated in the Warea River. One can of fish had been placed in a water lace in that river and recent inspection had disclosed a pleasing number of vigorous young brown trout. ■ WHITEBAIT SEASON CONTROL. It was apparent that more fisn were to be /ound in the streams at the beginning of the season than during the Christmas Reason. He agreed wit'* an authority on the subject that so many whitebait were now being taken that the trout were forced out of the rivers to search for food. Where tnere had been one whitebait net in earlier dajs there were now fifty, and he attributed their increase to good roads facilitating transport. Brown trout, and rainbow trout even more so, were migiatory but the shortage of food made theii migration even greater. At present, at tho close of the fishing season, tnere was an abundance of fish m the rivers and he had caught 27 in the past few weeks. That 24 of these who ‘‘searun’’ fish made it apparent that the fish were coming back to tho rivers to spawn. There was no objection to whitebait being caught, but he urged the society to work for tho control of the whitebait fishing season Donations of three hen pheasants and of two pairs of mallard ducks were received from enthusiastic mcm’oeiS. The election of officers requited:— President,-Mr. W. R. Johns; vice-presi-dents, Messrs T. Wilson and Dr. G. P. Adamson; council, Messrs N. O. Fopkes* N. S. James, S. R. Darlow, A. S. Baker

and W. S. Bamsay; auditor, Mr. 3. E. Nielson; secretary, Air. V. Duff. Dr. Adamson remarked that as the society had extended its liabilities) -hey were going to make fishing m Taranaki a big attraction which wou.d attract people from all over the wo.'a. vVith outside people coming to Taranaki the townspeople would receive extra patronage, and he considered that tliu Tourist League should be able to offer them some assistance. Even the Government could be approached. Mr. Grover supported this opinion, and considered the society had a good friend in Mr. S. G. Smith, MP. Twice they had received assistance from the Government in the shape of £'oO worth of fish.

The suggestion was favourably considered by others present, and the council was recommended to do something in this direction.

Tho president stated that the curator required ponds for the rearing of yearling fish, and it would save tire society considerable expense if the worn; was done by voluntary labour. It was decided to have a working bee di ing tho week-end.