RAINBOW TROUT

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3206, 13 September 1934, Page 5

RAINBOW TROUT

SYSTEM OF BREEDING AUCKLAND SOCIETY’S WORK Prospects for ‘aigofdifishiilg season were anticipated at $ meeting of the council of tlie Auckland ‘"Acclimatisation Society in Auckland on Tuesday night. A report on the progress, of rainbow trout breeding operations for the season was jfiresfente'd.’ r - Commenting oh 1 the fiepoifij the' president, Mr E. E? j! jdcKcsfzi6,“ the present system of : 'halving the cost to the society. It also saved the long rail journey in cans from the hatcheries at Rotorua,, thus ensuring that the fry were liberated in better condition, while there was the additional advantage .that they;..entered the same kind of water as that in which they were hatched. ,He thought Mr Dobson should be complimented on the successful manner in- which/ the system was operating. The report stated, that ova had been planted in ponds at Pirongia, To Kuiti, Taumarunui, Piopio, HorahoTa, "Otorohanga and Tokoroa.', -The . bottoms of tho ponds had clean gravel. over twothirds of them and the ponds were covered and kept as dark ms possible. At three weeks the fry were fed by the people in charge and from then on wero thinned out as they grew, the final ones being sometimes four months old when liberated. The quality and condition of fry and fingerlings liberated had been very favourably commented on by members of sub-societies, while mortalities in transport had been practically nil. _ In the Taumarunui and Horahora ponds 100,000 eyed ’ ova had • been planted and resulted in at least, a 90 per cent hatch. At Pio pio 30,000 ova were . planted, from which 25,000 fry had already been liberated and approximately 2000 to 3000 remained to be liberated before-placing' a further 80,000 ova, The Te Kuiti, Oterohanga and Pirongia ponds were planted later and the fry were not yet ready to liberate. At the majority of the ponds further ova would 'fee' 1 planted ahd the fry carried through to the fingerling stage.

A proposal for tagging fish in the Waikato and Waihou Rivers for the purpose of j making a systematic study of their movements, was made by the ranger. It was decided to purchase 240 rings for attaching to the fins of fish, and..Mr Dobsop, pms, -requested vtb prepare a definite : programme for tagging during the coming season. It was reported that 229 pheasants had been liberated in the society’s area since the last meeting. A further 500 would be liberated next February. As a result of the of Dr F. D. Pinfold, of Hamilton, Dr T. W-. J. Johnson was elected. ..vice-president of the society.