FISHING IN TARANAKI

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1933, Page 9

FISHING IN TARANAKI

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY WORK. RESTRICTION ON STONY RIVER. The monthly meeting of the council of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society was held at New Plymouth last night, there being present Messrs W. H. Moyes (chairman), A. E. Baker, E. Maetzig, T. Wilson, A. Little, C. Rawlinson, A. Feakins and V. Duff (secretary). A letter was received from the New Plymouth Borough Council confirming arrangements made previously regarding fishing in Lake Mangamahoe. Mr. Maetzig claimed that the endorsing of licenses on which the borough council insisted was farcical. It was a serious inconvenience to license-holders in districts outside New Plymouth who wished to use the lake and who had to make a special trip to the council chambers in order to have their licenses endorsed. The matter was left in the hands of the secretary. The Wellington Acclimatisation Association wrote enclosing two suggestions for the council’s approval. It was proposed firstly to make it compulsory for those property-owners wishing to shoot on their own land to take out licenses, and secondly to make fishing licenses valid only in the district in which they were issued. Neither suggestion met with the approval of the Taranaki council. .. . f '. '... . The credit balance in the bank at the end of August was £57 4s 3d, stated the secretary. Accounts totalling £l6 18s 8d were passed for payment. The curator of the hatchery at Durham Road, Mr. J. H. McKenzie, reported that during the past month his time had been fully occupied in hatchery duties. He estimated that the number of local brown fry already hatched numbered about 180,000. Another 30,000 ova ■ remained. The society could confidently expect to liberate at least 180,000 fingerlings. It was his intention to accommodate the brown fry in the pond running parallel to the hatcheries and in the recently constructed pond. The 20,000 rainbow trout could be distributed in eight boxes and accommodated inside the hatcheries. He had removed the boxing from the new pond and the finished job was very satisfactory. The first fry hatched were now feeding and two more boxes needed attention shortly. Both fry and ova in the hatcheries were progressing favourably. Mr. Maetzig said that as a result of information supplied by the fish research committee at Canterbury College he had been able to estimate from the number of trOiit captured for stripping the number of ova the society had collected in this manner. One hundred and thirtysix jack and 112 hen-fish had been taken, and calculating at the rate of 750 ova for every pound of the fish weighed, and taking 2Jlb as the average weight of the fish, he had estimated that the ova collected numbered about 205,000. This was practically the same as the curator’s separate tally. The council decided that the general council be written to suggesting that rangers’ warrants be issued in future for a period of five years only. It was decided to treat a very small quantity of ragwort observed on the society’s property with sodium chlorate. Votes of thanks were accorded Messrs J. L. Evans, J. Ward, L. O’Neill and C. Boswell and all other helpers for the great deal of assistance given the society at various times.

The chairman reported that an acacia hedge had been planted near the hatcheries. He suggested that the road to the hatcheries was badly in need of repairs, and that a working bee be organised on September 10 to commence work there.

The secretary stated that Messrs R. and McKinley had approached him regarding the attendance of a number of the council members at a meeting of fishermen to be held at Opunake on September 6. The council decided that as many as possible, probably six, of its members should attend the meeting. Messrs Moyes and Little were appointed delegates to the meeting to be held at Hawera over the question of amalgamating the Taranaki societies. ’ *

Mr. Little suggested that Lake Mangamahoe should be opened for fly-fishing only. There were ■ few such reserves enforced in the district, he stated, and it would be a very suitable area for such a restriction. The council felt, however, that to do so would deprive many fishermen of an opportunity to use the lake. On Mr. Rawlinson’s amendment it was decided to open the lake for artificial bait only. Stony River should, in the opinion of Mr. Moyes, have some such restriction placed upon it. At the present time certain reaches of'the river were so restricted, but the restriction was not strictly enforced. He felt that in view of the number of visitors who were taken there in the hope of good fishing the river should either be closed or restricted to fly-fishing. If the river were to be closed, said Mr. Maetzig, it . would have to remain so for at least three years to be effective. Such a measure, said Mr. Moyes, was not necessary; excellent fly-fishing could be had there. The council decided to restrict fishing on Stony River to fly-fishing only.

Arrangements were made for the holding of classes for beginners on the lines

of those organised at. Inglewood. The disposal of the society s lorry was left to Mr. Feakins.