MARINE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1949-50

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1950 Session I, H-15

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1950 NEW ZEALAND

MARINE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1949-50

Presented to. both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

Marine Department, Wellington, 30th June, 1950. Your Excellency,— I do myself the honour to transmit for Your Excellency's information the report of the Marine Department for the financial year ended the 31st March last. I have, &c, W. S. GoOSMAN, Minister of Marine. His Excellency the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand.

REPORT

The Secretary, Marine Department, to the Hon. the Minister of Marine. Sir, — . Marine Department, Wellington, 29th June, 1950. I have the honour to submit the report of the Marine Department for the year ended 31st March, 1950. During the year the main Harbour Boards have endeavoured to improve their financial position to enable them to meet operating expenses in full, and to carry out necessary maintenance work which for various reasons had to be deferred during the war period. Owing to Price Control Regulations there had been difficulty in obtaining approval to increased revenue sufficient to cover these factors, but towards the end of last session price control of Harbour Board by-law charges was relaxed. Since that date many Boards have taken the opportunity to increase their charges. The Department's attitude on Boards' applications for increased revenue by way of by-law charges is that, in the main, Harbour Boards should be able to conduct their own business with as little departmental interference as possible, and then only to ensure that the proposals are not ultra vires and are equitable as between those sections of the people which pay. The necessity for improvements to port facilities to assist in the quick turn-round of vessels has been realized, and many of the Harbour Boards have proposals in hand—some in the embryonic stage, others actually in progress.

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Good progress has been made with the consolidation of the Shipping and Seamen Act, 1908 (with amendments to date). At the end of the year this measure was in final draft form. In addition to consolidating the present Act and amendments, it also includes the measures necessary to bring into effect the resolutions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, held in London in 1948. The provisions of this Convention apply to the ships of all signatory nations as from Ist January, 1951. I commented last year on the substantial progress made by way of the fitting of navigational aids on our coastal vessels. It is pleasing to note that the provisions of wireless telephones has spread to still smaller vessels, in that many of our small fishing craft are so fitted and such installation, apart from its safety aspect, has been a boon to members of the crew T and to the companies or owners concerned. The presence in New Zealand waters of the survey vessel H.M.S. " Lachlan " will be pleasing to all mariners. A report on this vessel's activities is a matter for the New Zealand Naval Boarol, but opportunity is taken here to place on record the Department's appreciation of the co-operation shown by the Commander of the vessel, Commander Sharpey-Schafer, E.N. In addition to the charting work, the complement of the vessel has carried out much oceanographic work, and a great deal of research work for our fisheries research officers. GOVERNMENT VESSEL " MATAI " Since August, 1919, this vessel has been under charter to the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Co., Ltd., and has given good service on the Nelson-Wellington ferry run. The " Matai " was not required for any cable repair work during the past year. BLUFF STEWART ISLAND FERRY SERVICE This service has been carried out efficiently during the past year. In addition to ferry work, our vessel has serviced Puysegur Point Lighthouse, conveyed muttonbirders to Cape Islands, and carried out two trips to Milford Hostel with stores. PROSECUTIONS I hiring the year there were 78 prosecutions issued by the Department. Seventyfive of these were for breaches of the Fisheries Act, and 3 for breaches of the Shipping and Seamen Act. HARBOURS The control of Picton and Westport Harbours is still the responsibility of the Marine Department. At Dargaville, owing to the lack of shipping, the port was closed, and although the local Borough Council desired the entry of one vessel with coal during the past year it was considered that the cost of reinstalling the buoys marking the channel was not warranted. At Picton the servicing of the Brothers Lighthouse and maintenance of automatic lights in the Sounds area has been carried out by the Harbourmaster and his staff. During the year ended 31st March, 1950, 301 coastal vessels and 4 intercolonial vessels visited the port. ADMIRALTY CHARTS The Department acts as agent for the sale of Admiralty charts and publications and maintains a stock at Head Office and at principal mercantile marine offices in the Dominion. The stock includes all charts of the Dominion, and many other parts of the world to which ships trading to or visiting the Dominion may be diverted. A very useful service—that of advising masters of vessels regarding the folios of charts required for a particular voyage—has been made use of most frequently, and more particularly by masters of tankers voyaging to Borneo and the Shatt al Arab ports.

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The correction of charts necessitated by the establishment of additional navigational aids, the clearing of minefields, and the discovery of rocks, shoals, &c, is a neverending task, and 13,000 hand corrections were made during the year to our saleable stock. NEW CHARTS This year has been extremely profitable as regards improvements to Folios 71 and 72, which includes all the New Zealand charts. Chart No. 2553, Sheet XI, Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island, has had amendments to topography and soundings, slip plate to eastward added, and new true and Magnetic compass roses. The slip plate to the eastward has eliminated a very grave disadvantage which has always existed at Waipapa Point, that of changing from one chart to another at this vital part of the Bluff-Dunedin voyage. It is now possible to use the one chart and thus avoid the replotting of the position off Waipapa Point. Charts Nos. 3633 and 3634, North and South Islands respectively, were published by the Admiralty on 15th February, 1950, and will fill a long-felt want. The New Zealand General Chart No. 1212 is too small a scale to be of any great use other than plotting long courses and distances, and the two additions to the New Zealand folios will be greatly appreciated. NOTICES TO MARINERS Information relative to changes in navigational aids and to the discovery of obstructions, wreckage, or other dangers to navigation, and information of general interest to mariners, has been published in the form of " Notices to Mariners." During the year 59 such notices were issued. Many notices of an urgent navigational nature must be disseminated by radio, and the broadcasting and coast radio stations have been used for this purpose on many occasions during the year. EXAMINATIONS OF MASTERS AND MATES Examinations have been held in Auckland and Wellington on statutory days and on other occasions when circumstances have justified special examinations. It is the practice to grant special facilities to officers visiting New Zealand for the purpose of undertaking the examinations while their vessels are in port. The examinations have been conducted in a satisfactory manner, and in the case of foreign-going ships in accordance with the requirements of the Imperial Ministry of Transport. The number of examinations, 130, is a decrease of 32 on the figures for last year. The passes and failures are as follows : - Foreign-going Certificates — Per Cent. Full pass .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 Partial pass . . . . . . . . .. .. 26 Failure . . .. .. . . .. .. 9 Home-trade Certificates — Full pass .. . . . . . . .. .. 73 Partial pass .. .. .. .. .. 27 The written part of the examinations for both foreign going and home trade, in so far as the navigation problems are concerned, will be altered considerably within the next two or three years as a result of the radical changes which are to be introduced into the " Nautical Almanac." EXAMINATIONS IN SIGHT TESTS Examinations in sight tests during the year totalled 113, an increase of 4 on last year, of whom 107 passed and 6 failed.

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"NEW ZEALAND NAUTICAL ALMANAC AND TIDE TABLES" This publication for 1950 (forty-eighth edition) was published in ample time for circulation before the beginning of the year. It is very desirable that articles of interest to mariners should be included in the " Almanac," and in this year's edition a chart of New Zealand showing the magnetic declination or variation of the compass for epoch Ist January, 1950, is included. Every endeavour is made to keep the port information up to date by co-operation with the various Harbour Boards and to maintain the accuracy of that information by the issue of " Notices to Mariners." The " Almanac " will have to be redesigned next year to bring it into line with the new set-up of the abridged " Admiralty Almanac." Information has been received that the " Admiralty Almanac " will be completely redesigned as from the year 1952. The new form will eliminate entirely the quantities R and E, which were introduced in 1925, and the quantities G.H.A. of the sun and G.H.A. of Aries are to be substituted. Although specimen sheets of the abridged " Admiralty Almanac " appear in " Admiralty Notices to Mariners No. 7 Weekly Edition of 1949," the form the New Zealand " Nautical Almanac and Tide Tables " is to take will require much study. It can be stated that the new " Almanac " will differ radically from the present form both in principle and arrangement. Every endeavour will be made to publish the 1952 " Almanac " as early as possible in 1951 to enable users to become accustomed to the new elements introduced and to the new form of setting up. RADIO REGULATIONS These regulations are now being revised and should be completed in the near future. COMPASSES The regulations for ships' compasses have been carefully administered and compasses have been maintained in a good state of efficiency. SEARCH AND RESCUE ORGANIZATION This organization continues to render valuable service to small ships in distress, and steps have been taken to improve its efficiency by setting up a committee representative of all bodies interested in land and sea rescues. SMALL CRAFT REGULATIONS Full agreement was not possible between the Department and yacht clubs regarding the proposed Small Craft Regulations. The majority of yacht clubs have been very co-operative, and it is hoped that the safety measures desired by the Department will be incorporated in Yacht Clubs' rules. NAVIGATION SCHOOLS The tuition at both schools has been of a very high standard, and the Directors are making every endeavour to improve the academic side of the seafarer's education. It should be appreciated that our schools are mainly for the purpose of teaching navigation, and-must not be confused, with residential nautical schools overseas, where young men are trained in all phases of the duties of a seaman. The number of candidates attending the schools during the year was made up as follows : Wellington. Auckland. Extra Master .. .. . . 1 Nil Master, F.G. .. .. .. 7 5 First Mate . . .. 6 15 Second Mate . . .. .. 13 17 Vol. Exam. Comp. Dev. .. 3 1 Master, H.T. . . .. .. 4 4

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Wellington. Auckland. First Mate, H.T. .. 6 8 Yacht Master . . . . 5 6 Master, 25-ton .. . . 1 2 Master, Fishing-vessel . . 2 I Master, River Limits . . . . 1 5 49 64 Total, 113 The percentage of passes was \ 7 ery high, and this is due entirely to the painstaking work of the Directors. The radical alteration in the set-up of the " Admiralty Abridged Almanac " and the introduction of G.H.A. of the sun and G.H.A. of Aries will throw .additional responsibilities on to the Directors. LIGHTHOUSES, RADIO BEACONS, ETC. The Department's programme regarding new installations and the improvement of existing navigational aids has been pursued as far as practicable. During the year the following work was carried out : New Installations Completed and Commissioned: — Electric Automatic — Motuara Island, at entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound. Gibson Point, between Lyttelton and Kaikoura. Slope Point, at Eastern entrance to Foveaux Strait. Whangaroa Harbour Entrance. Tauranga, Mount Maunganui. Gas Automatic : Whitianga, Mercury Bay. Electric Buoy Light: Awanui, North Auckland. In addition to above, four small battery electric flashing lights have been installed at Lake Taupo for use of the fishing-fleet. NEW INSTALLATIONS IN PROGRESS Electric Automatic (five in number) : Cape Kidnappers, Slipper Island, Cape Farewell, Ohau Point, and Bushy Point. All equipment is on order, and completion is anticipated this year. Preliminary Work has been commenced for new automatic lights at Durham Point (Chatham Island), Motuketekete Island (Hauraki Gulf), Putiki Point (Waiheke Island), Mangonui Heads (North Auckland). Electrification of automatic beacons at North Cape and Channel Island is now •completed, and light on Chickens re-established. Portland Island. —Preliminary work has been commenced for electrification of light and installation of modern radio beacon. Cape Egmont Light, —Electrification and connection to mains supply should be completed in three months. Moerahi Light. —Conversion from fixed to flashing character should be completed in three months. Baring Head Light is now modernized and connected to main electric supply. Radio Beacons. —The equipment for standard radio beacons at Tiri Tiri, East Caj)e 3 ■Godley Head, Taiaroa Head, and Dog Island is on order. ENGAGEMENT OF SEAMEN This service has been maintained. A record of seamen applying for work is kept for the purpose of filling vacancies.

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SICK AND INJURED SEAMEN The total amount paid by shipowners to sick and injured seamen, under the provisions of the Shipping and Seamen Act, 1908, and Amendments, was £19,803 os. 8d. r as against £19,529 ss. 7d. for the previous year, an increase of £273 15s. Id. REGISTRATION OF SHIPS On the 31st December, 1949, there were on the Register of Vessels in the Dominion 44 sailing-vessels of 3,525 net tons register, 113 steamers of 61,282 net tons register, and 325 motor-vessels of 40,797 net tons register, as compared with 43 sailing-vessels of 3,515 net tons register, 122 steamers of 64,052 net tons register, and 308 motor-vessels of 32,603 net tons register at the end of the previous year. The number of .seamen employed on board was 2,913, as compared with 2,637 for the year 1948. WESTPORT HARBOUR In preparing annual reports on Westport Harbour it is customary to reiterate that good trading results are dependent mainly upon a satisfactory working depth on the bar. The geographical situation of the harbour, placed as it is at the mouth of the Buller River, renders it subject to several factors such as varying river flow, sets, sea and wind conditions, and ocean current, all of which, singly or in combination, can have a beneficial or a detrimental effect on the working depth at the entrance. As laden vessels leave the port at or near time of high water it is the high-water depth on the bar which governs the effective, working of the port. During the year now under review -i.e., Ist April, 1949, to 31st March, 1950 the average for the year of the " month by month " mean of daily high-water depths was 21 ft. 5 in. Although, generally speaking, the working depth was not as good as the 22 ft. 8 in. average for the previous year, it was better than that recorded for the previous six years, when trade figures were better. Moreover, the bar depth was fairly constant over the whole year, there being no particularly long spells of either very good or very bad bar depth. Some restricted loadings were necessary during the first ten days of October owing to bar condition, yet this had no obvious detrimental effect on the coal shipments. The coastal vessels made more trips with lighter loads, and October was one of the best months of the year from point of view of number of ships and tonnage exported.

The number of days on which depth obtained on the bar at high water during the years stated (ended 31st March) are as set out in the following table :

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Depth. 1931. 1939. 1942. 1944. 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. 1950. 14-16' .. 1 •) 12 16'-18' 2r> 2 1 39 23 35 16 3 i) 18'-2(»' 132 88 33 96 69 124 35 52 31 55 20'-22' L65 149 181 150 142 117 151 154 97 194 22'-24' 48 115 143 75 87 62 126 116 150 98 24'-26' ' 11 7 5 43 24 51 13 77 10 26'-28' 1 1 ■) 3 6 3 Over 28' 1 Mean for year . 20' 2" 21' 3" 21' 9" 20' 8" 21' 4" 20' 8" 22' 2" 21' 2" 22' 8" 21' 5"

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In respect to the same years this next table sets down the coal shipments for such years in relation to the mean of high water bar depths for those years :

The continued decline in coal shipments since 1942 is to be noted. h\ my report for last year I commented upon this, and the even more pronounced fall in shipments this past year would suggest the need for further comment. In the first place there was some loss as result of a complete stoppage of output from the major mine in the district, the Stockton State Mine, which stoppage, due to an industrial dispute, extended for just •on a month, but even then this was not a major cause of the decline in shipments. Developmental work at the mines which was retarded during the war years is in progress. Large and modern machines are being installed at the open-cast mines, and an aerial ropeway is being constructed to convey the coal from the high elevation of the workings to the low coastal level, and when this work is completed, together with the opening up of new coal areas, increased output should reflect very favourably in substantial recovery to the trade of the port. Three new colliers —" Kaitangata," " Kaitawa," and " Konui "- have been added to the Union Steam Ship Co.'s collier fleet, together with the Anchor Shipping Co.'s '" Puriri," in replacement of several vessels which had served the trade for many years, and, due to their more efficient ability, such new vessels should well cope with the shipments demands which improved mines output will create, although delays in despatch and turnround of colliers at outer ports and en route can continue at times to interfere with collier schedules, with consequent disruption to efficient flow of coal from the mines. Coal railed to the east coast of the South Island for the year totalled 115,868 tons, .as compared with about 129,000 tons last year. One overseas shipment of bunker and cargo coal was made during the year when s.s. " Kaikorai," on sale to China, loaded 2,201 tons cargo coal and 1,250 tons bunkers. Timber shipments were 233,530 superficial feet, compared with 1,092,438 superficial feet for the previous year. This reduction was brought about by increased local demand and quantity railed to the east coast. During the year 171 (208) vessels, aggregating 148,642 (152,789) tons net register, departed from the port, the figures in parentheses being those corresponding for the previous year. "In and Out " totals for the vear were 344 (418) vessels, aggregating 296\666 (307,340) tons net register. The bar suction dredger " Eileen Ward " worked consistently throughout the year, removing 419,080 cubic yards from the bar, and 106,580 cubic yards from the fairway .and berthage area. Having completed necessary maintenance dredging in the floating basin, the ladderdredger " Maui " commenced operations in the berthage area, where shoaling had taken place during the absence of the vessel at Castlecliff. This dredger lifted and dumped at sea 15,300 cubic yards of spoil from the floating basin and 93,900 cubic yards from the berthage area.

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Mean of Total Coal Year. High-w ater Shipments Depths on Bar. (Tods). Ft. in. 1931 . 20 2 513 500 1939 . 21 3 42(5 ,400 1942 . 21 9 487 ,500 1944 . 20 8 401 300 1945 . 21 4 402 000 1946 . 20 8 385 300 1947 . 22 •> 384 800 1948 . 21 2 382 400 1949 . 22 8 326,400 1950 . 21 5 308 784

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In the operation of this port two factors must be kept in view : (a) The maintenance of the port in such condition as to ensure the availability of coal to North Island industries ; and (b) Development and improvement for the future. In relation to the former, the port is well equipped, and all existing harbour installations, plant, and flotilla are maintained in good order and condition. With regard to development and improvement, much preparatory work has been done in this direction. Having regard to the probability that large harbour construe (ion works would be undertaken, a new workshops building was designed and should be in the course of erection during the present year, while several new items of workshops machinery have been obtained. Survey work in connection with tidal compartment dredging has been completed. Once, again I must express appreciation of the services voluntarily rendered to the Department by the Harbour Advisory Committee, the members of which are representative of all interests locally concerned in the successful functioning of the port. The Committee continues to meet regularly and consider matters for the improvement of the port. EXAMINATION OF MARINE ENGINEERS During the year 375 were examined for Marine Engineer's Certificates of Competency at the various centres throughout the Dominion. Of these 162 were examined for Firstand Second-class Certificates of Imperial Validity ; 113 were examined for Third-class Marine Certificates, and 31 were examined for First- and Second-class Coastal Motor Certificates of New Zealand validity. Candidates sitting for First-class Imperial Validity Certificates total 62, of which 25 passed for certificates, 12 passed part " A," 7 partlv passed " A " or " B " sections, and 18 failed. Candidates sitting for Second-class Imperial Validity Certificates total 100, of which 21 passed for certificates, 32 passed part " A," 17 partly passed " A " or " B " sections, and 30 failed. Passes for First-class Imperial Validity Certificates issued by the Department were subdivided as follows : 2 Combined Steam and Motor, 9 Steam, 2 Steam Endorsement, 6 Motor, and 6 Motor Endorsement.

Passes for Second-class Imperial Validity Certificates issued by the Department were subdivided as follows : 14 Steam and 7 Motor ; totalling 46 certificates issued, as shown in following table :

Candidates sitting for Third Marino Examination total 113 ; of these 75 passed and. 38' failed. Candidates sitting for First-class Coastal Motor Certificates total 9 ; of these, 8 passed and 1 failed. Candidates sitting for Second-class Coastal Motor Certificates total 22 ; of these,. 18 passed and 4 failed. The remaining 69 candidates were examined for River Engineer (Steam) and Restricted Limits P.V.O.S. (Oil) Certificates of Competency ; of these, 2 passed and 1 failed for River Engineer, and 57 passed and 9 failed for the Restricted Limits P.V.O.S. Engineer's Examination.

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(lass. Combined Steam and Motor. Steam. Steam Endorsement. Motor. Motor Endorsement. Total. First Second 2 9 14 0 6 7 6 25 21

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In addition to above, 9 candidates were examined for the Engineering Knowledge ■Section of the Eestricted Limits P.V.O.S. Master's Certificate. POLLUTION OF WATERS The fact-finding survey on the extent and causes of pollution of inland and coastal waters and on the law and administrative machinery for enforcing it was completed for the Interdepartmental Committee, and the report was submitted to Cabinet. The report showed that, partly because of inadequacies of existing law and because of excessive division of administration responsibility, there had, over a long period, been a progressive increase in pollution in New Zealand. In some cases to-day pollution results in serious economic loss. Instances of this are — (1) The manurial value of cowyard refuse drained into streams each year is estimated to be equivalent to £500,000 worth of artificial fertilizer. (2) A single gold-sluicing claim, on a portion of the Buller River system, during a ten-year period sluiced into the river about 900,000 more cubic yards of material than the dredge removed from inside the Westport Harbour (as distinct from bar dredgings). More usually pollution is objectionable either because it threatens the interests of local authorities, farmers, and industrialists who require to draw clean waters from natural streams, or because it fouls and renders unpleasant beaches and streams where the average citizen, his wife, and children may wish to bathe or picnic. No less than ten different statutes contain provisions about pollution. Such statutes, and regulations and by-laws made under them, are administered by six different Departments and by over three hundred local bodies of several types. Because of the multiplicity of administrative authorities and the absence of adequate liaison, there is often neglect of action on the assumption that some one else is attending to matters. In other cases, there is uneconomic overlapping of adminsitrative activity which is irritating and confusing to industry. Those seeking to establish new industries are confused because no one authority can give complete approval of drainage plans in advance. In consequence, industrialists either ignore all authorities, or " hawk " their problems from Department to Department or from local body to local body. Legislation has not been changed to keep pace with industrial development. In consequence, much present law is obsolete and inherently partial. For instance, in mining districts there is almost complete freedom to put mining refuse into streams, while discharge of sawdust into the same water is actionable. Under one statute discharge of certain industrial wastes is proscribed, while other equally noxious substances have, in practice, almost free entry because the burden of proof of damage done is difficult or expensive to discharge. Again there is evidence that certain authorities, which have statutory obligations to prevent pollution by others, find themselves compromised by pollution arising from their own undertakings. Cases sometimes arise where, in disregard to statutory obligations, local authorities consider they have a duty to protect local ratepayers causing pollution from administrative activity. The record of activity of Government Departments themselves is not very satisfactory, although recently much has been done to limit pollution by State activities. Government Departments have been able to make progress in co-ordinating their own activity regarding control of pollution, but they have considered it desirable to have the co-operation of local authorities if a comprehensive approach to the whole question of pollution is to be made. On the recommendation of the ten member Departments comprising the Interdepartmental Committee, legislation was drafted which aimed at establishing a national pollution council with departmental and local-body representation. The Bill contemplated a council with functions which, initially, would have been largely co-ordinating and advisory. The Bill would have added nothing to existing penal provisions, because experience has shown that penal provisions alone have been

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inadequate to stop a progressive deterioration in the situation. This Bill was finally withdrawn, after opposition had been shown by some local bodies. There was no evidence of direct industrial opposition. The partial failure of local-body support for the measure probably reflected inadequate preparation of public opinion and unwarranted fears that the measure might impinge substantially on local body jurisdiction. Following the withdrawal of the Bill last session, Cabinet instructed that the Marine Department should meanwhile exercise generally such functions as were proposed for the statutory council excepting only any powers which only the Legislature could have conferred. The Marine Department was empowered to reconstitute a small Interdepartmental Committee, and this at present includes, in addition to departmental officers, representatives of the Health Department and Ministry of Works, together with the Dominion Analyst. While this Committee is of some service, the problems facing it are too great to be dealt with competently by a non-authoritative body comprising officers whose regular duties occupy their time fully. The longer a comprehensive approach is delayed to the pollution problem, the greater will be the ultimate difficulty of solving it. At present there is no adequate machinery to deal fairly and adequately with existing pollution or to advise new industries as tothe conditions under which they may operate in future years. PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL WELFARE OF SEAMEN No report would be complete without reference to and appreciation of the silent work performed by voluntary helpers for all seamen in our ports. Space does not permit publication of details of ships visited, seamen contacted, books distributed, sick seamen visited in hospital, and entertainment provided year by year. Splendid work has been performed by the Missions to Seamen, the Apostleship of the Sea, the British Sailors' Society, and the Flying Angel Mission. SURVEY OF SHIPS During the year ended the 31st March, 1950, survey certificates of the following various categories were issued by the Marine Department: — Survey Certificates — Foreign-going Passenger Ships . . . . .. 4 Foreign-going Cargo Steamships .. .. .. 1 Foreign-going Cargo Motor ships . . .. .. 5 Home-trade Steamships .. . . .. 28 Home-trade Motorships . . .. .. 80 Restricted Limits Steamships . . .. 30 Restricted Limits Motorships .. .. .. 311 459 Equipment Certificates — Restricted Limits .. .. .. .. 1 Home-trade . . .. .. .. .. 18 Foreign-going .. .. .. .. 19 3B Total .. .. .. .. .- 497 Surveys were also made in 262 cases for seaworthiness, efficiency of equipment, tonnage measurement, radio-telegraphy, &c, as against 303 such surveys made in 1948-49. Included in these totals are surveys made on overseas ships not registered nor normally surveyed in the Dominion. Two new vessels built overseas have been added to the New Zealand merchant fleet. They are the twin-screw motor vessel " Mamaku," of 926 gross tons, built in Scotland in 1949 for the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Co., Ltd., and the single-screw motor vessel " Taima," of 539 tons gross. " Tainui " was built in Sweden, named

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*' Vestria," in 1945, and bought in 1949 by the Northern Steamship Co., Ltd. An almost similar ship, " Viria," has been surveyed and operates on charter in the intercolonial trade on a New Zealand certificate. This vessel cannot be transferred to British Registry, so long as she is foreign-owned. Small vessels carrying passengers or cargo and plying on rivers, lakes, and harbours have been augmented during the year by fourteen others. Seventeen surveyed vessels have been re-engined. An extensive conversion and refit of the Government motor vessel " Ranui " has been made to fit her for tropical service under the control of the Department of Island Territories. This work, in accordance with past Government policy, has been carried out by the Naval Dockyard at Auckland. Dry-dock congestion at the Port of Auckland has continued throughout the year. The figures given below show that during recent years the demands on existing Auckland dry-dock accommodation are steadily increasing and that if the rate of increase is maintained it will be necessary for the Port of Auckland to provide additional dry dock facilities soon.

From Ist January, 1950, ships registered in New Zealand have been fully surveyed periodically, as required by the Shipping and Seamen Acts. A partial suspension of surveys was permitted as a wartime relaxation under the Shipping Survey and Deck Cargo Emergency Regulations 1943, which have now been revoked. In some maritime countries while passenger ships must be fully surveyed by a Government agency, cargo ships may be partially surveyed by a private classification society. The legislatures of New Zealand, the United States, and some other countries, however, in requiring that there shall be a full Government survey for every ship irrespective of whether she carries passengers or not, subscribe to the principle that there should be only one standard for safety of life at sea without distinction between the lives of passengers and crew. After forty-five years' service as a passenger ship engaged for many years in the Wellington-Nelson service, the " Arahura," of 1,608 gross tons, has been permanently withdrawn from service and sold to shopbreakers at Wellington. " Arahura " was built in 1905 by Denny Bros., the Dumbarton shipbuilding firm which built most of the earlier New Zealand passenger steamers. Apart from minor mishaps, the active career of " Arahura " has been successful. She was one of the very few remaining coal-burning passenger ships. The successor to " Arahura " will be the twin-screw steamer " Ngaio." She is the former American steamer " Hualalai," of Honolulu, and was built in 1929 by the Bethlehem S.B. Corp., Ltd., San Francisco, Cal., for the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., Honolulu, for tropical service. She is 3,566 gross tons, by British measurement, and is driven by geared turbines of 4,000 shaft horse-power supplied by steam at 280 lb. per square inch from four oil-fired water-tube boilers. " Ngaio "is undergoing extensive alterations at Wellington for a certificate of survey to carry 234 berthed passengers and 35 motor-cars on deck in the Wellington-Nelson service. The passenger and crew accommodation will provide higher standards of spaciousness and general comfort than those of earlier ships in this service. Careful consideration is being given

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Port. Percentage of Total Tonnage of New Zealand Ships Dry-docked for Annual Survey. 1947-48. 1948-49. 1949-50. Wellington Auckland Lyttelton Port Chalmers 40 • 5 39-0 11-5 9-0 45-0 40-0 40 110 33-2 53-6 7-2 6-0

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to . fire-prevention arrangements, watertight subdivision, stability and life-saving appliances, and a high standard of safety is assured. :: Ngaio " commenced service in May, 1950. Of the many significant advances made dining the past century towards the safety of life at sea none has been responsible for saving more lives and more ships than wireless telegraphy. Thisyear marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first installation of wireless telegraphy in a ship, for it was in November, 1899, that the steamer " St. Paul," 66 miles out to sea, received a message transmitted by Marconi by wireless telegraphy from the Isle of Wight. But it was not until 1909 that the prodigious safety value of wireless telegraphy fully gripped the imagination of the world when the British steamer " Republic " was in" collision with the Italian steamer " Florida," and while the " Republic " sank beneath his feet the radio officer guided the rescuers to the darkened ship through the thick fog that had enshrouded her. Since the " Republic "-" Florida " disaster, wireless telegraphy, or radio telegraphy as it is now commonly called, has been responsible for saving very many thousands of lives at sea. Following the conclusion of the third International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea, held in London in 1948, an Inter-Departmental Working Party, comprising officers of the Marine Department and the New Zealand Post Office, has drafted new radio regulations for New Zealand ships. The draft regulations include not only the minimum requirements of the 1948 Safety of Life at Sea Convention, but also radio provisions for all coastwise ships for which it is practicable to provide a measure of radio protection. Much attention has been given to the extended application of radio telephony in certain classes of coastwise ships, and collateral proposals have been prepared for the consideration of Government for improving the 1 facilities for transmitting and receiving radio-telephone messages in all waters within fifty miles of the New Zealand coast. A survey of the present radio telephone installations in New Zealand ships has indicated that the utility of this modern development in marine telecommunication technique has been widely recognized by New Zealand shipowners. The draft New Zealand Merchant Shipping Radio Regulations have been circulated for comment amongst the various interests concerned, and it is hoped that the final draft of the proposed regulations will be available for submission to the Government within a few months. That the use of coal for ship propulsion is still declining is evident by the withdrawal from service of two New Zealand coal-burning colliers, and by the conversion from coal to oil fuel of the aged dredge, " Paritutu," owned by the New Plymouth Harbour Board. Factors prejudicing the use of coal at sea are several. There is the marked disinclination to-day of men to engage in the arduous and relatively unpleasant task of coal-firing boilers. Indeed, some coal-burning ships have been so delayed through shortages of firemen that recourse to oil-firing has been almost obligatory for this reason alone. Other factors prejudicial to coal-burning are the larger complement of crews, the shortage of suitable steam coal, and the large coal bunker spaces necessary as compared with the storage space required for fuel oil. The large majority of New Zealand tonnage is, and will be increasingly, dependent upon imported fuel oil. An interesting exception is the dredge " Paritutu," which is to burn residuum from petroleum produced from oil wells in the Moturoa (Taranaki) district. This is believed to be the only steamer in New Zealand which is steamed by fuel oil produced from New Zealand oil-wells. Arising from the serious mishap which occurred to the steamer " Holmlea " in February, 1949, when loose coal choked the fixed suction pipes of the bilge pumping systems so that the boiler room flooded and the ship became thereby totally disabled,

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the Department has required that in every coal-burning steamer there shall be provided in the stokehold, in addition to the fixed bilge suction pipes, a flexible suction hose so connected to the bilge pump that the hose can be used to draw water from either side of the stokehold. The flexible hose will be a valuable alternative means of clearingbilge water from a stokehold should fixed bilge pipes become so choked with coal or ashes that they cannot be promptly cleared at sea. The need for a measured-mile course for conducting ship speed trials in Wellington Harbour has been long known. During the year the local authorities concerned surveyed a nautical mile course parallel to the Hutt Road and erected suitable land beacons. The measured mile course now established satisfies the requirements that it shall be clear of ship traffic and reasonably free from tidal disturbances and shall have an ample depth of water. Speed trials of m.v. " Kaitangata " conducted on the Wellington measured mile have provided the suitability and usefulness of this new maritime amenity. The loss by fire at sea is reported of the passenger motor launch " Miss Mount Maunganui," on the 17th January, 1950, while on a voyage from Whangamata to Tauranga. The vessel rolled heavily and caused a lighted primus stove in the cabin to fall to the floor. As a result a full bottle of methylated spirits in the cabin was broken, and shortly after a second bottle of methylated spirits exploded. A fire occurred in the cabin which soon extended throughout the length of the launch and burnt her to the water's edge. It is fortunate that the man and youth on board were successful in making their escape from the burning vessel into the dinghy and thence to the shore without injury. " Miss Mount Maunganui" had on board two fire-extinguishers, but one which was in the burning cabin was not accessible for use, and the other extinguisher alone was quite inadequate to deal effectively with the fire. The loss of the vessel is attributable in the first instance to the primus stove not being suitably fixed so that it could not be overturned. INSPECTION OF MACHINERY Steam Boilers, Air and Gas Receivers, and Unfired Steam-pressure Vessels The following statement sets out the number of inspections made during the year ended 31st March, 1950, of steam boilers and unfired pressure vessels subject to steam, air, and refrigerant gas pressure (Group " A ") and the corresponding figures for 1948-49. The figures include hydraulic tests applied at first inspections : 1949-50. 1948-49. Steam boilers .. .. .. ..4,730 4,551 Unfired pressure vessels .. .. .. 12,600 11,541 Hydraulic tests . . .. .. ..1,557 709 Total inspections in Group "A " .. 18,887 16,801 The inspections included 75 new power boilers manufactured in the Dominion, and 26 new boilers imported from abroad. Most of the new boilers imported from abroad were of the large high-pressure water-tube type i which, as yet, cannot be manufactured in New Zealand. The inspections also include 81 new air-receivers made in New Zealand and 50 made abroad, and 280 new unfired pressure vessels, other than air-receivers, made in New Zealand and 172 made abroad.

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Machinery The following statement shows the number of machines, machinery plants, lifts, cranes, hoists, and tractors (Group " B ") inspected during the year ended 31st March, 1950, and the corresponding figures for 1948-49 : 1949-50. 1948-49. Machines driven by steam power in 1393 plants .., .. .. .. 6,426 7,270 (1,449 plants) Machines driven by power, other than steam in 13,614 plants .. .. .. 95,530 88,287 (12,481 plants) Electric-power-sup pi v units . . .. 152 63 Lifts -. .. .. .. 3,696 3,665 Cranes .. .. .. .. .. 744 729 Hoists .. .. .. .. .. 2,182 1,988 Tractors .. .. .. .. 299 269 Total inspections in Group "B " .. 109,029 102,271 Total inspections in Group "A " .. 17,330 16,801 Grand total of inspections (Groups "A" and"B") .. .. .. 126,359 119,072 The increase of total machinery inspections of 6 per cent, since 31st March, 1949, indicates the continuance of the rapid extension of the mechanization of New Zealand industry. Plans of all new boilers, air and gas receivers, and other unfired pressure vessels and of new cranes and lifts totalling 752 units were examined and approved by the Inspection of Machinery Branch during the year ended 31st March, 1950. They included 54 new power cranes and 14 lifts. For the year the number of reported machinery accidents involving personal injury or death totalled 111, of which 4 were fatal and 107 non-fatal. The corresponding accidents "for the previous year were 134, of which 10 were fatal. It is pleasing to record a slight reduction in the non-fatal category and a substantial reduction in the fatal category. One fatal accident arose from an attempt by a tractor-driver to oil a tractor-shaft coupling while it was in motion, and resulting in his clothing being caught and his being killed in the machinery ; the second from the development of tetanus following hand injuries caused by the victim's inserting his hand in the roller of a wool-blending machine whilst it was moving ; the third fatality was due to the deceased being caught in the moving driving-belt of a portable saw bench, and the fourth by a lift cleaner being crushed between the moving lift car and the fixed lift enclosure. The circumstances of every accident, fatal and non-fatal, have been investigated by the Department, and improvements effected in the machine or guards wherever practicable. It is pleasing that the number of fatal accidents is below the average for several years, but investigations of this year's fatalities again confirm the fact that it is the new or casual worker with machinery who is generally fatally deceived by the apparent harmlessness of moving machinery. Action has been taken to reduce the danger arising from rotating saws which are not in continuous use by requiring in all such cases that efficient stopping and starting appliances shall be fitted. These in the cases of saws driven by belts from line shafting comprise fast and loose pulleys. In the case of saws each driven by its electric motor start and stop switches are required to be fitted conveniently near to each saw.

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A wide variety of industrial accidents, how they happen, and how to prevent them is described in quarterly pamphlets published by the United Kingdom Ministry of Labour and National Service. The publication of these useful pamphlets, suspended during the war, has been resumed, and they are now being regularly supplied to the Inspectors of Machinery in New Zealand. In the following table is given an analysis of the fatal and non-fatal machinery accidents which occurred during the year, indicating the principal machines and industries :

Machine and Industry Analysis of Accidents, 1949-50

The opportunity has been taken during the year to thoroughly revise, consolidate, and bring up to date the departmental rules governing the design, construction, maintaining, and testing and operation of power lifts. The current lift practice of the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States has been closely studied, and there have been consultations between the Department and New Zealand lift manufacturers and others concerned. The revised rules apply to every new lift built or constructed and to every existing lift materially altered after the 31st December, 1949. It is believed that the revised rules provide a lift code which will ensure a high standard of safety in all future new lifts. After careful consideration and tests and a personal investigation made by the Chief Inspector when in the United Kingdom the Department has approved the application of multi-vee belt drives for lift machines. Properly designed multi-vee belt drives have been proved to be reliable, safe, and silent in operation. Careful attention is given by the inspecting staff to the improvements of the standards of safety of many old lifts, and there are frequent consultations with owners seeking such improvements in safeguards as are practicable. The Department acknowledges the co-operation given in maintaining lift safety by the electrical supply authorities, city and borough authorities, architects, engineers, and lift manufacturing and maintenance firms. The very large majority of lifts are electrically driven and are affected by any interruption of the power supply. In the event of power failure there may be a stoppage of a car between floors, and passengers cannot be released from the car until aid is

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Industries. Totals. Description of Accidents. 1 a o i§ S3 ff 1. al |1 i>. 2 o jj. S 3 1 -a S3 3-S "3 ' 1* 8 t •S 1 1 u d 1 a W X o 1 "<3 o isH rt & a Hi w o pq o H m fc Circular saws 14 14 14 Planers 1 1 1 Shapers 1 4 5 5 Power press . . Guillotines 9 6 2 in 10 1 1 o 91 Laundry machinery Cranes and hoists 1 5 2 6 •> 1 6 Lifts 1 Belting 1 1 1 Shafting 2 3 5 1 4 Gearing Mincers and other cutting 1 2 1 2 1 7 1 ' machines 1 2 7 Others 7 io 2 1 4 2 9 1 21 57 1 56 Total accidents 27 10 4 5 16 2 2 10 1 35 111 4 107

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forthcoming to wind the car by hand power to the nearest floor landing. Lift passengers caught in this dilemma are inconvenienced and occasionally alarmed, but they are in no danger so long as they do not attempt to get out of the lift car until it has reached a floor landing. The head of a in. metal screw was sufficient to cause a loaded lift in Parliament Buildings to partially run away. The head of a screw had broken off and so jammed the brake mechanism that the brakes became worn and out of adjustment and were eventually unable to prevent the loaded lift car from making an involuntary descent, fortunately, without seriously injuring any of the lift passengers. Accidents in the use of farm tractors, generally involving loss of life, have in recent vears reached disturbing totals. While the usual kind of tractor accident on a farm or road is not a " machinery accident " under the Inspection of Machinery Act, cases have arisen, and no doubt will arise, where mechanical defects or deficiencies in the design or safeguards of tractors and their attached machinery have been responsible for accidents involving life and limb. Inspectors of Machinery, in association with the officers of the Department of Agriculture, will in future investigate every tractor accident which is suspected to be due to mechanical defects. In support of a training course for Labour and Health Inspectors in Safety Health and Welfare, an engineer officer of the Marine Department in 1949 prepared and delivered a series of illustrated addresses on machine safety, supplemented by visits with the trainees to Wellington factories where power machinery is used which would be dangerous if it were not adequately guarded. Similar addresses on machine safety have been arranged for at other manufacturing centres. A violent explosion from a make-shift steam boiler occurred in a bush district. The boiler was made from a 40-gallon petrol drum. It had a stop valve, but no pressure gauge to indicate steam pressure, nor any safety valve to relieve the pressure. The drum was three-quarters filled with water and placed over a fire aided by 2 gallons of diesel oil. Steam which was generated was being used by the two men concerned when a terrific explosion occurred and the petrol drum blew up. The force of the explosion projected the wrecked petrol drum like a rocket for a distance of about 3 chains. One of the two men standing 6 ft. from the make-shift boiler was bodily hurled 20 ft., and suffered severe burns and shock, from which he fortunately recovered. At least one of the men concerned should have realized in the first instance the extreme follv of attempting to use an oil drum or any other uncertificated container as a steam boiler, for he held a Second-class Engine Driver's Certificate. He should also have known quite well that a safety valve was an essential fitting on any closed vessel in which steam is generated. Defects developing in shell plates of aged boilers are always possible, and do in fact occasionally occur. But serious defects discovered this year in a shell plate of a large water-tube boiler less than a year old were unexpected and almost unprecedented in New Zealand. The defects took the form of a want of homogeneity of the steel plate, which was indicated by a number of laminations or cracks which penetrated the boiler plate at acute angles to the surface. Lamination defects can be due to slag inclusions in the steel billet when it is rolled out into plates. There is no safe repair for a laminated boiler plate. The boiler drum will be completely renewed. This will eventually involve a large dismantling and re-erection job at the freezing works concerned. To avoid any dislocation of the works during its killing season, due to the shutting down of the boiler, the Department has reduced the steam pressure and permitted the boiler to continue to operate under special supervision for a few months. The defective boiler plate was made by a British steel works of high reputation and long experience.

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GENERAL HARBOUR REGULATIONS Waterfront Accidents For the year ended 31st March, 1950, 256 accidents were reported under regulation 103 of the General Harbour Regulations. These accidents were suffered by persons engaged in the loading and unloading and repair of ships. The number of accidents for the previous year ended 31st March, 1949, was 323, including one fatality. It is satisfactory that there has been a steady decline in the number of accidents over the past four years. In 1946-47 there were 348 such accidents, of which 5 were fatal, whereas of the 256 accidents reported in 1949-50 none was fatal. The following is an analysis of the accidents, and their causes : 1949-50. 1948-49. Handling goods .. .. .. 99 90 Persons slipping or falling .. .. 28 56 Persons struck by swinging or falling loads 79 92 Persons stepping on or striking fixed objects 11 22 Contact with power-driven machinery .. .. 22 Failure of gear .. .. .. .. 5 16 Not otherwise classified .. 32 45 256 323 Handling goods is a cargo-working process which continues to account for more than one-third of the reported accidents. Next in order of causation of accidents are swinging and falling loads. These two groups account for about 70 per cent, of the total waterfront accidents reported. Some of these unfortunate accidents can be attributed to inherent deficiencies in human alertness arising from physical infirmities such as partial deafness, impaired vision, or the slowing down of mental and physical agility usual at the onset of old age. But when accidents occur to younger workers of normal physical and mental standard there is good reason to believe that many such accidents might have been avoided entirely, or their severity mitigated, if before entering the waterfront industry these workers could have been more adequately instructed in safe practices in working cargo into and out of ships. Any substantial reduction in the present accident rate on the waterfront is a goal which is likely to be attained more by the method of waterside worker training in safe practices than by technical improvements in cargo gear. Dangerous Cargoes Sea-borne trade includes the carriage of a large number of dangerous substances which, if not safely stowed and handled, constitute grave hazards to the ships concerned. Even more grave are the hazards of fire and explosion to which improperly handled dangerous cargoes in ships may expose ports and adjacent cities. Recent examples are the disastrous ammonium nitrate ship fires and explosions which occurred in the United States at Texas City, in France at Brest, and in Melbourne. During the past year the Department, by the direction of the Minister of Marine, has circulated to shipowners, Harbour Boards, and Surveyors precautionary information and directions on the proper handling of ammonium nitrate and the various chlorates, which are dangerous substances. An extensive revision of the United Kingdom regulations on the carriage of dangerous goods and explosives in ships has been proceeding in recent years. The subject, being extensive and technically complex, is one in which international agreement by the maritime powers is desirable. So far international agreement on the carriage of dangerous goods has been limited to the statement of definitions and general principles contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1948.

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Until there is an acceptable international code of practice for the carriage and handling of dangerous goods and explosives in ships, the current precautions officially recognized in the United Kingdom will continue to provide a useful guide for New Zealand shipowners, harbour authorities, and ship Surveyors. EXAMINATION OF LAND ENGINEERS, ENGINE-DRIVERS, CABLE-TRAM DRIVERS, AND ELECTRIC-TRAM DRIVERS Examinations for certificates issued under the Inspection of Machinery Act, 1928, were conducted at intervals during the year by Inspectors of Machinery throughout the country. For the year ended 31st March, 1950, the candidates who presented themselvesfor examination totalled 532 ; of these, 445 passed and 87 failed, as compared with 520 successful candidates and 106 failures of the previous year. In addition to the 445 certificates issued in 1949-50 to successful candidates 85 certificates were issued as replacements, &c, under the provision of sections 53, 59, and 62 of the Inspection of Machinery Act, 1928. An analysis of the certificates issued during the year, with the correspondizig figures for 1948-49, is given hereunder : Class. 1949-50. 1948-49. Service— First class engine driver . . .. .. 3 6 Competency — Extra first class stationary engineer . . .. 2 First class engine driver .. .. 38 63 Second class engine driver .. . . .. 303 289 Locomotive and traction . . . . 50 69 Locomotive engine driver ..... 10 8 Traction engine driver . . .. .. 6 7 Electric tram driver .. .. 98 175 Electric tram driver (one man car) .. 8 8 Cable tram driver . . . . . . 7 13 Steam winding engine driver .. 1 1 Electric winding engine driver . . . . 4 1 530 640 Appended to this report is a statement of the number of candidates examined at each examination centre for the year ended 31st March, 1950, showing the number of successful and unsuccessful candidates. A few special examinations were granted, but the holding of special examinations is not encouraged as it is considered that the regular examinations are of sufficient frequency, and, except in very exceptional circumstances, candidates are expected to attend the scheduled examinations. The shortage of certificated engine drivers for stationary steam plants is still as it has been in previous years for the past decade. Where a steam plant would be shut down for lack of a certificated engine driver the Department, on the report and recommendation of an Inspector of Machinery, authorizes a temporary permit for an uncertificated person to take charge of the steam plant. NEW ZEALAND STANDARDS INSTITUTE The Marine Department has again been actively associated with the New Zealand Standards Institute in connection with the Mechanical Engineering Divisional Committee and the Executive Committee.

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Following the tragic Ballantyne fire at Christchurch in 1947, the Department has •co-opted a member of the staff to assist a Standards Committee to redraft a comprehensive series of New Zealands Standards for fire-extinguishing appliances. The Marine Department has a long experience in the protection of ships from fire hazards which is of practical help for the task engaging the attention of the Standards Institute Fire Extinguishers Committee. The Department has also examined and commented upon many British and New Zealand standards dealing with a variety of other technical subjects, including general mechanical engineering, welding, and packaging and marking of goods for transport. STAFF I desire to express my appreciation of the work of the whole of the staff during the past year. The co-operation, loyalty, arid conscientious devotion to duty has been of nigh calibre. FISHERIES A comprehensive report on the working of the Fisheries Branch of the Department follows hereon, together with a report on the operations of the Marine Biological Station .at Portobello. I have, &c, W. C. Smith, Secretary for Marine.

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REPORT ON FISHERIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1950 Attention is drawn to the fact that all fisheries statistical data in this report is for the calendar year ended 31st December, 1949. The estimated total quantity and value of the principal classes of fishery products marketed in the year 1949 are as follows : Quantity. Value. £ Wet fish .. .. .. .. 449,903 cwt. 864,332 Whitebait .. .. .. .. 7,899 cwt. 204,269 Oysters— Dredged .. .. .. 97,336 sacks 81,519 Rock .. .. .. .. 5,076 sacks 8,744 Mussels .. .. .. .. 14,845 sacks 4,912 Crayfish .. .. .. .. 36,771 cwt. 99,034 Whale oil .. .. .. .. 973 tons 36,000 Fish livers .. .. .. .. 783,307 Ib. 31,006 Total values .. .. .. .. £1,329,816 The detailed landings are summarized in Tables I to VI (pp. 45 to 58). The total landings of wet fish show an increase of 3,638 cwt. over the previous year's total of 446 5 365 cwt., while the total value has increased by £25,998. The quantity of oysters dredged from Foveaux Strait has increased by 2,892 sacks, and the rock oysters have decreased by 617 sacks. The crayfish total is up by 9,541 cwt., and the quantity of mussels is up by 431 sacks. In the most important group, the " wet fish " — i.e., all the ordinary fishes caught by all methods of sea fishing—the annual totals for successive years are as follows : Total Quantity. Total Value. Total Quantity. Total Value, cwt. £ cwt.. £ 1934-35 .. 331,415 294,267 1942-43 .. 311,971 442,976 1935-36 .. 363,448 313,106 1943-44 .. 294,445 489,268 1936-37 .. 363,128 360,406 1944 .. 308,237 522,954 1937-38 .. 355,687 413,516 1945 .. 331,773 558,404 1938-39 .. 356,114 424,643 1946 .. 380,321 660,096 1939-40 .. 339,231 416,480 1947 .. 438,300 802,496 1940-41 .. 328,594 440,308 1948 .. 446,265 838,334 1941-42 .. 326,863 458,393 1949 .. 449,903 864,332 The total weight of wet fish landed 449,903 cwt., although the highest recorded total represents only the small increase of 3,638 cwt. This increase is slightly less than half the increase shown last year. Compared with the great increases in the years immediately following the war, the figures for the last two years show that an increased level of production has been reached as a result of the greatly increased fishing potential to which reference was made in last year's annual report. In the course of the next year or two the effect of this increased fishing potential on the stocks of fish should become apparent. Reference to the figures above setting out the quantity and value of wet fish landed since 1935 show that the value has risen more steeply than has the quantity. In spite of this, however, a number of the medium and larger units are finding the cost of maintaining this increased fishing potential out of proportion with the increased return to-day. Unfortunately, adequate figures are not available for publication to present the picture showing the cost of the production over these years.

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Fishing Vessels and Pebsonnel The number of licensed fishing vessels operating in 1949 was 855, the number of men employed on them being 2,355. This represents an increase of 42 units, most of which occurs on the class motor net and line vessels. The details of the arrangement of the fleet in respect of the various classes of fishing vessels operating at each of the ports is shown in Table 11. Fish Landings The total landings of fish and shell-fish landed at the various ports are shown in. Table I.

A table showing the total quantity and value of each kind of fish is set out below Snapper is the most abundant species, and the other species, headed by tarakihi, are nearly in the same proportion as before.

Mixed flats, swordfish, and tuna which appeared on the 1948 total have been dropped,, no catches of these fish being recorded in 1949.

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Quantity. Value. f*T Percentage of 4 Percentage of Kind or Class of Fish. CA\'L. Total. Total'. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948, Snapper 134,517 148,828 29-90 33-35 214,933 234,224 24-87 27-94 Tarakihi 111,010 93,251 24-67 20-90 193,354 163,508 22-37 19-52 Hapuka 38,752 32,771 8-61 7-34 130,296 108,234 15-07 12-91 'Blue cod 29,779 32,877 6-63 7-37 72,667 71,863 8-41 8-57 Gurnard 25,203 22,239 5-60 4-98 24.916 22,424 2-88 2-68 Sole 24,681 23,911 5-48 5-36 74,510 73,481-8-62 8-77 Flounder 17,752 18,581 3-94 4-16 64,567 64,773 7-47 7-73 Barracouta 13,129 13,090 2-93 2-93 5,625 6,391 0-65 0-76 Ling 11,764 12,060 2-61 2-70 22,950 25-213 2-65 3-01 Trey ally 6,651 9,326 1-49 2-09 5,111 7,846 0-60 0-90-Elephant fish . 6,146 4,701 1-38 1-05 13,238 9,815 1-53 1-17 " Mixed rounds " 4,576 7,949 1-03 1-78 2,674 6,580 0-31 0-7H Pioke 4,099 3,502 0-91 0-78 5,004 4,677 0-58 0-56. Moki 3,964 2,401 0-88 0-54 6,472 4,084 0-75 0-49-Red cod 2,890 4,654 0-64 1-04 2,591 4,784 0-30 0-57 Shark 2,439 1,476 0-54 0-33 3,156 1,610 0-37 0-19* John-dory 2,038 826 0-45 0-19 3,107 1,252 0-36 0-15 Mullet 1,961 2,240 0-44 0-51 3,385 3,541 0-39 0-42' Hake 1,934 2,452 0-43 0-55 5,850 7,712 0-68 0-92-Herring 1,591 1,397 0-35 0-31 1,649 1,149 0-19 0-14 Butterfish 1,129 1,572 0-25 0-35 3,618 4,794 0-42 0-57 Whiptail 544 344 0-12 0-08 457 244 0-05 0-03' Kahawai 534 1,220 0-12 0-27 466 1,131 0-05 0-14 Mackerel 532 172 0-11 0-04 375 118 0-04 0-01 Kingfish 452 229 0-10 0-05 673 359 0-08 0-04 Warehou 409 405 0-09 0-09 639 802 0-07 0-10 Cream fish 287 289 0-06 0-06 201 202 0-02 0-02 Sardine 223 896 0-05 0-20 156 1,046 0-02 0-12 Brill 162 25 0-04 0-01 548 70 0-06 0-01 Conger-eel 157 169 0-03 0-04 161 121 0-02 0-01 Parore 145 80 0-03 0-02 198 69 0-02 0-01 Trumpeter 123 381 0-02 0-09 282 1,064 0-03 0-13 Garfish 116 20 0-02 0-01 338 68 0-04 0-01 Whiting 91 0-02 70 0-01 Perch 79 "32 0-02 0-01 58 21 0-01 0 01 Skate 32 10 0-01 0-01 19 11 0-01 0-01 Maomao 6 10 9 10 Frost-fish 5 11 8 11 Bonita 1 1 Totals • 449,903 444,397 864,332 833,302

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Methods of Capture A table showing the total quantity of wet fish caught by each of the common methods of fishing is shown below, with the 1948 figures included for comparison :• —

The steam-trawlers landed a total of 87,980 cwt. (19-56 per cent.), while motortrawlers landed 161,676 cwt. (35-93 per cent.). Motor-vessels (net and line fishing) landed 132,119 cwt. (29-37 per cent.), and row-boats 2,837 cwt. (0-60 per cent.). The decrease in the quantity caught by Danish-seine boats is due to a number of these boats changing to trawl fishing. The increase (33,481 cwt.) in the catch by motortrawlers is in part due to this change from Danish seining to trawling, and it is in the motor-trawl catch principally that the increase of 3,638 cwt. over last year's total occurs. Landings at the Ports For administrative and statistical purposes the port of registry of a number of vessels was changed during the year. At the same time definition on an arbitrary basis was made of the grouping of the landing places specified on the individual licences so as to include each boat in a port or area recognized at present in the tables. This was necessary, because of the state of flux especially in the more remote areas, to keep the statistical tables comparable. Appendix No. I shows the grouping that forms the basis ■of the statistical tables that follow.

Ports where trie total landed catch is in excess of 10,000 cwt. are shown in order of importance in the table below. The percentage of the grand total is also included :

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Quantity. Value. Method of Pishing. Cwt. Percentage of Total! £ Percentage of Total. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948. Trawl Danish seine Long and hand lines .. Set and drag nets 249,656 65,291 103,933 31,023 216,505 88,980 102,496 38,284 55-49 14-51 23-10 6-90 48-51 19-94 22-97 8-58 450,065 95,178 248,664 70,425 396,597 130,112 232,862 78,763 52-07 11-02 28-76 8-15 47-30 15-52 27-78 9-40 Totals 449,903 446,265 864,332 838,334

Quantity. Value. Port. Cwt. Percentage of Total. £ Percentage of Total. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948. 1949. 1948. Auckland 133,169 142,766 29-6 31-99 193,504 208,079 22-39 24-82 Wellington 50,617 40,117 11-25 8-99 114,554 91,255 13-25 10-89 Port Chalmers 41,359 38,460 9-19 8-62 65,264 59,404 7-50 7-09 Napier 25,320 27,254 5-63 6-11 45,730 53,329 5-29 6-36 Timaru 19,403 20,661 4-35 4-63 50,985 53,615 5-89 6-39 Bluff and Stewart Island 19,197 17,638 4-29 3-95 54,140 44,323 6-26 5-29 Thames 17,602 17,105 3-91 3-83 32,764 31,858 3-79 3-80 Lyttelton 15,223 12,520 3-38 2-81 33,679 27,487 3-89 3-28 Gisborne 14,675 13,260 3-26 2-97 22,233 21,432 2-57 2-56 Nelson 14,069 11,314 3-13 2-54 23,863 20,074 2-76 2-39 Tauranga 12,948 13,763 2-88 3-08 20,572 20,064 2-38 2-39 Total 363,582 354,858 54-23 79-52 657,288 630,920 75-97 75-26

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The Ports in Review In this section the production of the individual ports is reviewed over a period of five years. The species shown separately are arranged in order of importance for the year 1949. NORTH ISLAND Mangonui 1945 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt Owt. Owt. Owt. Cwt. L . , , o in* 3 300 4,058 2,533 1,783 Total quantity landed .. 2,105 *,dW Snappy •• ■■ •• « • 3 ; 8 358 322 Mullet ...... g 2 265 The fish caught by motor-vessels using nets during 1948 amounted to 1508 cwt and during 1949 amounted to 855 cwt. Motor-vessels using lines caught 824 cwt. m 1948 and 922 cwt. in 1949. Whangaroa 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt Owt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. ; , , 770 573 904 844 1,058 Total quantity landed .. 779 ?M •Snapper ..•••• g _ 99 Shark .. •• •• y •' 15 4l *** - 4 56 62 55 39 Hapuku Bay of Islands 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. , i ± KU. 5 032 4,115 4,071 3,955 Total quantity landed .. 4, > i } 6Q5 Snapper .. •■ •• L >* i ' ()i3 t m 1129 782 Hemng .. •• ■■ •■ ' gg 88 283 457 Flounder .. •• •■ -> n < 070 Mullet •• •• •• M 49 IS4 55 114 The quantities taken during 1949 were by lines 1,769 cwt. and by nets 2,186 cwt., as against lines 1,965 cwt. and nets 2,106 cwt, last year. Whangarei 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. ._, a a 1 766 2 325 1,930 4,163 5,247 Total quantity landed .. 1,786 2,jWj> Snapper .. ■• •• gQ 262 64 U] 294 S^ k - 387 876 732 601 189 .. •• ■■ 205 47 129 16g Hapuku A motor-trawler which commenced operations during 1948 is the principal cause of the i crease in total quantity in 1948 and 1949. During 1949 the quantities taken by L varous methods were-trawl 2,656 cwt., lines 960 cwt and nets 1,631 cwt., as compared with trawl 932 cwt., lines 1,112 cwt., and nets 2,119 cwt. in 1948.

23

H—ls

Auckland 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 122,789 141,406 142,304 142,766 133,169 Snapper .. .. .. 81,706 101,470 110,911 92,262 Tarakihi .. .. .. 23,965 27,788 22,285 17,031 22,604 Gurnard .. .. .. 5,570 7,370 6,199 5,139 5,949 Trevally .. .. .. 3,297 2,015 2,293 4,631 5,397 Hapuku .. .. .. 1,330 1,814 575 737 1,965 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Method of Fishing. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Danish seine .. .. 97,608 96,990 90,824 86,191 65,198 Steam-trawl .. .. 19,553 36,964 45,309 41,982 35,710 Motor-trawl.. .. .. .. 172 39 '8,637 24,756 Line-fishing (motor) .. .. 2,493 3,097 2,998 4,287 5,354 Net-fishing (motor) .. .. 3,092 4,125 3,050 1,580 2,028 Of the three steam-trawlers one worked for eight months, one nine mouths, and the third for ten months. The total number of boats Danish-seining was 35, but only 32 of these did sufficient fishing to be regarded as full time. During the year four Danish-seiners changed to trawling and one transferred to Tauranga. The number of motor-vessels now trawling at Auckland is twelve, as compared with seven at the end of last year. These changes account for much of the variation in the catch by the various methods indicated above. Thames 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 17,245 10,824 13,035 17,105 17,602 Snapper .. .. .. 10,413 4,754 . 5,796 8,730 11,511 Flounder .. .. .. 4,246 3,706 4,307 4,849 4,432 Gurnard .. .. -• 1,171 657 882 2,057 1,022 A total of 13,073 cwt. was caught in nets, a decrease of 1,887 cwt., while the total quantity caught by lines, 4.529 cwt., was an increase of 2,384 cwt. as compared with last year. Coromandel 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed . . 168 156 43 358 930 Herring .. .. . . .. .. .. 241 798 Snapper .. .. .. 161 142 34 113 129 Mercury Bay (This port now includes Whangamata and Waihi) 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 1,357 1,476 1,222 1,474 1,695 Snapper .. .. .. 881 920 678 1,066 1,131 Hapuku .. .. .. 184 158 135 83 296 Tarakihi .. .. .. 137 137 239 140 110 Shark ........ 23 39 11 45 The fish caught by lines totalled 1,667 cwt. and by nets 28 cwt. during 1949, as .compared with 1,445 cwt. and 29 cwt. respectively for these methods last vear.

24

H—ls

Tauranga 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 7,459 6,41(5 7,086 13,763 12,948 Tarakihi .. .. .. 1,289 1,917 1,998 5,226 10,354 Snapper .. .. .. 2,513 1,459 2,021 4,426 1,633 Hapuku .. .. .. 151 126 244 333 362 Trevally .. .. .. 1,219 1,091 777 » 2,479 254 The one Danish-seiner operated for one month only during 1949 and landed 93 cwt., as compared with 2,496 for eleven months last year. The number of motor-trawlers was increased to three during 1949. The total quantity landed by trawl was 10,686 cwt., by lines 1,130 cwt., and by nets 1,039 cwt. during 1949, as compared with 5,394 cwt., 1,667 cwt., and 4,206 cwt. for trawl, lines, and nets respectively during 1948. Whakatane (Including 'Opotihi) 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 2,074 1,558 902 1,242 1,762 Snapper .. .. .. 1,478 1,027 426 796 1,326 Tarakihi .. .. '.. 34 56 51 23 197 Flounder .. .. .. 138 65 114 91 78 The one Danish-seiner at Whakatane operated for eight months last year, but during 1949 used lines only until it changed to trawling in August. The total landings are made up of trawl 889 cwt., lines 595 cwt., nets 278 cwt., as compared with Danishseine 277 cwt., lines 697 cwt., and nets 268 cwt. in 1948. Gisborne 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 8,236 10,052 10,926 13,260 14,675 Tarakihi .. .. .. 6,308 7,547 6,864 8,907 . 8,797 Gurnard .. .. .. 1,167 1,549 1,444 1,117 1,396 Snapper .. .. .. 132 206 197 555 1,108 John-dory .. .. .. 28 87 122 424 1,037 Moki .. .. .. 62 94 139 429 1,028 The steady increase in the total quantity landed still continues. A total of 14,201 cwt. was trawl caught and 474 cwt. line caught during 1949, as compared with 12,453 cwt. by trawl and 806 cwt. by line last year. Napier 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 19,194 22,249 23,525 27,254 25,320 Tarakihi .. .. .. 9,744 11,489 16,201 19,955 15,625 Gurnard .. .. .. 5,362 5,994 4,180 3,596 3,762 Snapper .. .. .. 520 869 224 224 2,432 Hapuku .. .. .. 1,443 378 715 1,481 1,153 In 1949 the catch by motor-trawlers amounted to 24,606 cwt. and that for the motor line and net vessels amounted to 710 cwt., as compared with 25,827 cwt. and 1,052 cwt. respectively in 1948. Gastlepoint 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 60 40 56 141 136 Hapuku .. .. .. 33 26 i'2 104 112 Moki .. .. .. .. 3 .. .. 13 Snapper ...... .. 3 1 6 7

25

H—ls

Welling ton 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 31,554 39,744 44,291 40,117 50,617 Tarakihi .. .. .. 16,857 21,204 22,455 23,423 31,234 Hapuku .. .. .. 5,403 7,132 8,017 8,075 9,944 Ling .. .. .. 3,208 4,046 5,420 3,124 2,852 Moki .. .♦. .. 507 1,143 811 614 1,121 Barracouta .. .. .. 527 394 486 634 1,000 During 1949 the three steam-trawlers landed a total of 34,767 cwt., as compared with 25,764 cwt. in 1948 for two vessels. Similarly, the totals for motor-trawl were 1,127 cwt. in 1949 and 1,132 cwt. in 1948, while motor line vessels caught 14,313 cwt., in 1949 as compared with 12,815 cwt. in 1948. The remaining methods —motor nets, row-boat lines, and nets —landed a total of 410 cwt. this year, as compared with 406 cwt. last year. Makdra 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. CwtTotal quantity landed .. 308 396 638 677 468 Butterfish .. .. .. 167 129 130 235 154 Warehou .. .. . . 46 158 349 320 84 Snapper ...... 14 9 31 9 80 During 1949 the total for lines was 192 cwt. and for nets 276 cwt., as compared with 80 cwt. and 597 cwt. respectively in 1948. Pa/remata 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt, Total quantity landed .. 2,853 3,816 2,498 2,144 3,443 Hapuku .. .. .. 1,835 2,696 2,122 1,780 3,158 Snapper .. .. .. 45 38 21 41 104 Butterfish .. .. .. 74 105 67 72 64 Of the 1949 total, 3,367 cwt. was taken by lines and 76 cwt. by nets, as compared with 1,981 cwt. by lines and 163 cwt. by nets in 1948. Paraparawmu 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 497 706 828 506 918 Snapper .. .. .. 275 445 256 243 461 Hapuku .. .. .. 102 72 273 88 234 Butterfish .. .. .. 65 77 237 152 114 Tarakihi ...... 1 8 9 3 63 During 1949 a total of 767 cwt. was line caught and 151 cwt. net caught, as compared with 349 cwt. by lines and 157 cwt. by nets during 1948. Manawatu (Including Tangim oana) 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 223 179 299 315 308 Snapper .. .. .. 159 77 144 162 141 Flounder .. .. . . 38 81 69 94 139 Gurnard ...... 5 11 12 11 15 Hapuku ...... 7 1 19 31 12 During 1949 a total of 169 cwt. was line caught and 139 cwt. net caught, as compared with 214 cwt. by lines and 101 cwt. by nets during 1948.

26

H—ls

Wanganui 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 528 631 214 363 311 Snapper .. .. .. 362 441 197 305 284 Hapuku .. .. .. 17 28 13 27 14 Blue cod ...... 6 2 3 10 9 New Plymouth 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 2,301 2,643 2,792 3,255 3,527 Snapper .. .. .. 1,956 2,270 2,420 2,326 2,623 Hapuku .. .. .. 235 341 289 369 334 Tarakihi .. .. .. .. 1 .. 181 187 Ournard .. .. .. 15 4 7 211 124 During 1949 the total quantity taken by trawl was 2,169 cwt, and by line, 1,358 cwt,, as compared with 1,072 cwt. by trawl and 2,183 cwt, by line in 1948. • Kawhia 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 375 445 832 491 623 Snapper .. .. .. 115 208 486 196 355 Flounder .. .. .. 231 164 230 250 211 Pioke . . . . .. 4 30 36 19 28 Hapuku ...... 2 29 28 11 23 During 1949 a total of 383 cwt. was line caught and 240 cwt. net caught, as compared with 200 cwt, and 291 cwt, respectively in 1948. Raglan 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt, Cwt, Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 163 124 212 646 934 Snapper .. .. .. 31 53 132 455 717 Flounder .. .. .. 131 71 67 164 196 In 1949 line-caught fish amounted to 716 cwt, and net-caught fish to 218 cwt., as compared with 470 cwt. and 176 cwt, for lines and nets respectively last year. Manuhau 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 1,229 1,215 1,401 902 1,046 Flounder .. .. .. 433 442 362 339 381 Mullet .. .. .. 505 472 452 331 311 Snapper .. .. .. 172 185 490 173 274 In 1948, 16 cwt. landed by a single Danish-seiner operating from Port Waikato was included in Manukau landings, but will in future be included under Raglan. The totals for 1949 amount to 779 cwt. by nets and 267 cwt, by lines, as compared with 730 cwt. by nets, 156 cwt, by lines, and 16 cwt, by Danish-seine in 1948. Kaipara 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 2,220 3,608 3,792 3,088 2,930 Flounder .. .. .. 1,485 1,430 1,927 1,992 1,861 Snapper .. .. .. 259 1,020 770 314 382 Mullet .. .. .. 417 767 612 557 305 Shark .. .. .. 15 292 231 190 199 A total of 2,521 cwt. was net caught and 409 cwt. line caught in 1949, as compared with 2,670 cwt. by nets and 418 cwt. by lines in 1948.

27

H—ls

Hokianga 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed . . 941 575 634 574 377 Mullet .. .. .. 714 454 572 464 271 Snapper ...... 108 66 21 17 48 Flounder .. .. .. 119 36 38 42 36 SOUTH ISLAND Golden Bay 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949* Cwt. Owt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 761 1.268 618 190 178 Snapper .. 482 471 383 145 121 Hapuku ...... 67 12 63 31 42 Blue cod .. .. .. 71 26 13 11 15 Mot vehi 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 1,097 1,653 4,918 6,050 3,138 Snapper .. .. .. 741 806 2,350 3,319 1,743 Gurnard .. .. .. 104 221 687 987 761 Tarakihi .. .. .. .. .. 815 1,108 231 Pioke .. .. .. .. 25 331 350 171 Flounder .. .. .. 55 62 47 71 132 The steam-trawler operated only two months this year, as against twelve months last year, and landed 433 cwt. in 1949, as against 2,779 cwt. in 1948. Motor-trawl landed 2,431 cwt. in 1949, as against 2,720 cwt, in 1948, and other methods 274 cwt. in 1949, as against 551 cwt, in 1948. Nelson 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 6,372 7,078 10,040 11,314 14,069 Snapper .. .. .. 2,034 2,974 6,053 6,530 6,391 Gurnard .. .. .. 2,081 2,012 1,905 3,278 5,768 Flounder .. .. .. 870 893 305 352 1,141 Pioke .. .. .. 223 268 462 468 376 The increase in this year's total occurs principally in the species gurnard, flounder, and sole. The motor-trawlers landed a total of 13,650 cwt. this year, as compared with 10,683 cwt, in 1948, while catch by motor lines totalled 415 cwt. and other methods 4 cwt., as compared with 623 cwt. and 8 cwt. respectively in 1948. French Pass 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt, Total quantity landed .. 3,278 2,749 3,293 2,111 2,442 Hapuku .. .. .. 554 507 399 624 841 Blueeod .. .. .. 1,751 1,353 1,976 968 825 Snapper .. .. .. 287 126 109 193 269 Butterfish .. .. .. 225 209 254 57 232 The principal methods —motor lines and motor nets— landed 2,124 cwt. and 318 cwt, respectively, as compared with 1,845 cwt. and 120 cwt. for these methods in 1948.

28

H—ls

Havelock 1945. 194(5. 1947. 1948. 1949. Gwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt.. Total quantity landed .. 1,701 1,968 2,781 3,353 3.197 Hapuku .. .. .. 56 105 359 385 866 Snapper .. .. .. 48 155 229 336 676 Blue cod .. .. .. 391 628 638 413 417 Shark .. .. .. .. 51 106 239 333 Flounder .. .. .. 783 388 260 370 273 The landings by trawl, lines, and nets in 1949 were 714 cwt., 2,250 cwt., and 233 cwt. respectively, as compared with 737 cwt., 1,421 cwt., and 1,195 cwt. for these methods last year. Picton 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 4,358 4,913 3,774 3,267 3,817 Hapuku .. .. .. 1,947 2,153 2,431 2,516 3,035 Blue cod .. .. .. 293 170 205 251 302 Shark .. .. .. 164 290 197 170 210 Butterfish .. .. .. 148 49 158 123 99 During 1949 the quantity caught by lines was 3,696 cwt. and by nets 121 cwt., as compared with 3,093 cwt. and 143 cwt. respectively for these methods last year. Blenheim 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 716 1,215 1,293 1,575 1,691 Moki .. .. .. 35 8 8 472 378 Mackerel .. . . .. . . . . .. 80 357 Tarakihi .. .. .. 49 30 7 66 246 Ling .. .. .. 35 14 .. 122 183 Soles .. .. .. 201 139 240 182 177 Flounder .' .. .. 94 140 242 157 149 The quantity landed by trawl was 1,315 cwt., by lines 4 cwt., and by nets 372 cwt. in 1949, as compared with 1,429 cwt., 44 cwt., 102 cwt. respectively for these methods last year. Kaikoura 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 1,960 2,703 3,870 3,171 2,895 Ling .. .. .. 1,099 1,170 1,936 1,538 1,356 Hapuku .. .. .. 535 1,078 1,599 1,182 1,034 Tarakihi .. .. .. 58 41 42 150 219 During 1949 the quantity landed by trawl was 383 cwt., by lines 2,457 cwt., and by nets 55 cwt., as compared with 249 cwt., 2,824 cwt., 98 cwt. for trawl, lines, and nets irespectively in 1948. The slight decrease in the quantity landed is probably due to more intensive crayfishing in this area. Lytleiton 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 11,430 15,400 37,387 12,520 15,223 Tarakihi .. 4,840 7,094 8,895 6,101 7,469 Elephant-fish .. .. 1,632 1,805 1,413 1016 2,028 Ling .. .. .. 1,447 2,133 2,278 1539 1997 Gurnard .. .. .. 1,203 1,269 1,105 895 1 328 Motor-trawlers accounted for 15,075 cwt., as compared with 11,888 cwt. last year. The totals for lines and nets were 18 cwt. and 130 cwt. respectively, as compared with .38 cwt. and 114 cwt. for these methods last rear.

29

H—ls

Akaroa 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949.. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 1,433 2,394 5,136 7,159 4,017 Hapuku .. .. .. 164 500 1,104 1,109 1,045 Elephant-fish .. .. 38 74 275 482 998 Ling .. .. .. 193 312 800 989 535 Gurnard .. .. .. 431 531 426 759 486 Tarakihi .. .. .. 193 206 1,053 1,274 459 The quantities caught during 1949 were trawl 2,847 cwt., lines 1,161 cwt., and nets 9 cwt., as compared with trawl 6,012 cwt., lines 1,107 cwt., and nets 40 cwt. last year. Lake EUesmere 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949.. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 764 480 940 2,810 2,335 Flounder .*. .. .. 762 477 938 2,810 2,335 Herring .. .. .. 2 3 2 Timaru 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 11,386 21,223 21,216 20,661 19,403 Hapuku .. .. .. 1,275 2,796 2,560 3,416 3,763 Ling .. .. .. 1,047 3,136 3,817 3,459 3,672 Elephant-fish .. .. 2,155 2,445 1,714 2.938 2,626 Flounder .. .. .. 1,819 2,367 4,318 3,486 2,503 Tarakihi .. .. .. 44 118 47 341 2,255 Gurnard .. .. .. 1,879 2,946 2,051 2,244 2,253During 1949 the motor-trawlers landed a total of 15,334 cwt., as against 15,073 cwt. in 1948. The line boats landed a total of 4,069 cwt, in 1949, as compared with 5,588 cwt, last year. Oamaru 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 1,860 2,020 3,646 3,389 3,402 Hapuku .. .. .. 1,548 1,840 3,126 2,851 2,642 Blue cod .. . . .. J 70 138 414 490 356 Gurnard . . .. .. .. 1 .. .. 119 Tarakihi .. .. .. .. 5 .. 1 102 A motor-trawler which commenced operations in 1948 and landed a total of 6 cwt. fished for eight months in 1949 and landed a total of 369 cwt,, otherwise the fish at this port is all line caught. Moeraki 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 2,017 1,964 2,499 1,580 2,372 Blue cod .. .. .. 549 383 736 617 1,243 Hapuku .. .. .. 1,336 1,352 1,565 846 1,053During 1949, 2,365 cwt. was taken by lines and 7 cwt. taken by nets, as compared with 1,502 cwt. by lines and 65 cwt, by nets in 1948, during which a single motor-trawler also landed 13 cwt.

30

H—ls

Karitane 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Owt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 1,186 1,153 1,361 589 468 Blue cod .. .. .. 197 279 211 242 171 Barracouta .. .. .. 797 429 391 177 138 Hapuku .. .. .. 150 158 161 119 80 Soles ...... 1 .. 169 33 46 During 1949 the quantities caught by trawl were 71 cwt., lines 396 cwt., and nets I cwt., as compared with trawl 34 cwt. and lines 555 cwt. last year. Port Chalmers 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. ■Total quantity landed .. 25,533 23,250 44,849 38,460 41.359 Barracouta .. .. .. 7,502 8,171 13,938 11,262 11,027 Soles .. .. .. 6,282 8,366 10,963 9,652 10,648 Tarakihi .. .. .. 173 81 9,977 8,476 9,566 Red cod .. .. .. 7,605 • 3,846 2,536 1,304 1,708 Hapuku .. .. .. 829 562 1,418 1,124 1,394 The one steam-trawler landed 16,043 cwt., as compared with 15,827 cwt. last year, while the motor-trawlers landed 15,106 cwt. in 1949, as against 12,693 cwt. in 1948. The totals for lines and nets were 10,185 cwt. and 25 cwt. in 1949, as against 9,938 cwt. for lines and 2 cwt. for nets in 1948. Taieri Mouth 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 714 989 669 732 1,279 Soles .. .. .. 559 849 389 183 638 Hapuku .. .. .. 82 83 230 390 486 Blue cod .. .. .. 70 42 50 152 110 During 1949 the quantities caught by trawl were 681 cwt., by lines 596 cwt., and by nets 2 cwt., as against trawl 188 cwt., and lines 544 cwt. in 1948. Nuggets .1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 4,250 4,565 6,177 4,091 3,863 •Soles .. .. .. 3,838 3,528 4,258 2,994 2,935 Flounder .. .. .. 214 427 644 283 351 Hapuku .. . . .. 94 290 333 362 297 Blue cod .. .. .. 45 111 232 113 108 During 1949 the trawl caught fish amounted to 3,458 cwt. and the line caught fish to 405 cwt., as against 3,619 cwt. and 472 cwt. respectively in 1948. Waikawa 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 2,610 2,964 4,456 4,214 4,948 Soles .. .. .. 2,320 2,818 3,608 2,931 3,999 Blue cod .. .. .. 121 55 526 734 420 Hapuku .. .. .. 36 24 229 475 385 Flounder .. .. .. 94 22 12 29 98 The 1949 trawl catch was 4,138 cwt., as against 3,004 cwt. last year, while line •caught fish totalled 810 cwt. in 1949 and 1,210 cwt. in 1948.

31

H—ls

Bluff and Stewart Island 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Owt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 13,649 15,161 19,523 17,638 19,197 Blue cod .. .. .. 12,193 13,222 17,054 15,112 16,670 Hapuku .. .. .. 568 769 1,117 1,024 1,049 Soles .. .. .. .. 135 237 267 886 Gurnard .. .. .... 13 3 29 126 Butterfish .. .. .. 6 51 64 295 92 The totals for the various methods were trawl 1,092 cwt., lines 18,000 cwt., and nets 105 cwt.. in 1949, as against trawl 349 cwt., lines 16,941 cwt., and nets 348 cwt. last year. Riverton (Including Invercargill) 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949Cwt. ' Cwt. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 580 688 907 662 857 Blue cod .. .. . . 468 597 783 574 758 Hapuku .. .. .. 88 83 117 69 69 Flounder .. .. .. 23 6 5 16 30 The quantities taken by the various methods were lines 827 cwt. and nets 30 cwt., as against lines 645 cwt. and nets 17 cwt. last year. Greymouth 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt, Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 651 909 2,498 3,818 3,364 Hapuku .. .. .. 16 376 394 606 1,119 Soles .. .. .. 498 327 912 1,244 897 Gurnard . . .. .. 73 85 448 606 375 Tarakihi ...... .. 5 4 3 268 The quantities caught by steam-trawl, motor-trawl and lines amounted to 1,027 cwt., 1,186 cwt., and 1,151 cwt. during 1949, as compared with steam-trawl 1,478 cwt., motortrawl 1,718 cwt., and lines 622 cwt. last year. The steam-trawlers here are of a smaller class than those in other ports. Westport 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 738 527 2,346 2,368 2,791 Soles .. .. .. 414 52 17 676 825 Tarakihi .. .. .. 8 1 579 7H 773 Gurnard .. .. .. 126 112 363 293 614 The quantities taken by the methods were trawl 2,736 cwt. and lines 55 cwt. during 1949, as against trawl 2,251 cwt. and lines 114 cwt. last year. Chatham Islands 1945. .1946. 1947. 1948. 1949. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt, Total quantity landed .. 2,078 3,586 9,412 12,490 7,816Blueeod .. .. .. 2,011 3.442 9,246 12,265 7,676 Hapuku .. . . .. 67 144 166 225 140 The decrease in the total quantity landed is probably due to the A T essel " Manuka " making only five trips in 1949, as against eight trips during 1948. Exports and Imports Imports of fish for the nine months ended 30th September, 1949, amounted to 15,449 cwt. of canned fish, such as herring, salmon, sardine, pilchard, and 353 cwt. of fish otherwise preserved, with a total value of £196,971.

32

H—ls

The total value of fish and shell-fish exported during the twelve months 0f'1949 was £515,883, which represents an increase of £22,147 on the previous year's figure of £493,736.

The totals for the principal classes of fishery products exported for the last three years are given below :

A more detailed report of the quantities and kinds of fish and shell-fish is given in Table VII. Big-game Fishing The season for big-game fishing was generally a good one. Reasonably good fishing extended over the months from December to May. At several of the centres the secretary of the fishing club there has forwarded records of the catch during the season. The figures below show the numbers of the various species taken.

Sardines The landings of sardines at Picton show a decrease over last year's figures. The figures for the total sardine catch at Picton during the last five years are as follows :• —■ Cwt. 1949 .. .. .. .. .. 223 1948 .. .. .. .. .. 896 1947 .. .. .. .. .. 97 1946 .. .. .. .. .. 1,191 1945 .. .. .. .. .. 1,458 Fish-liver Oil This branch of the industry shows an increase this year in quantity of livers handled and the quantity of oil produced, the figures being the highest yet recorded. The total weight of fish fivers treated, 783,307 lb., an increase of 105,872 lb., and the fish-liver oil produced, 33,304 gallons, an increase of 9,221 gallons as compared with last year's figures.

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Quantity. Value. 1947. 1948. 1949. 1947. 1948. 1949. £ £ £ Oysters, fresh 950 doz. 1,020 doz. 1,920 doz. 27 30 107 Mussels 75 cwt. 93 cwt. 531 475 Fish, frozen 41,800 cwt. 54,671 cwt. 61,367 cwt. 235,079 340,441 366,880 Crayfish, frozen 2,335 cwt. 3,731 cwt. 6,388 cwt. 17,140 44,466 85,061 Fish, smoked, dried, &c. 4,384 cwt. 1,625 cwt. 1,047 cwt. 27,533 11,419 7,233 Fish and shell-fish 649,565 cwt. 755,307 cwt. 798,955 cwt. 78,439 96,849 56,127 (canned) Total values 358,218 493,736 515,883

• Species. Bay of Islands. Whangarei. Tauranga. Striped Marlin 278 10 513 Black Marlin 27 5 S.A. Blue Marlin 3 Mako Shark 40 41 44 Hammerhead Shark } ' { Tiger Shark "l Thresher 1 1 Blue 1

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A total of 18,747 gallons of fish-liver oil was exported, an increase of 1,035 gallons on last year's figures. The total weights of livers treated and the quantities of oil produced during the last five years are as follows : Weight of Quantity Livers of Oil Year. • Treated. Produced. lb. Gallons. 1945 .. .. .. 564,397 25,023 1946 .. .. ..670,644 29,923 1947 .. .. .. 698,383 30,427 1948 .. .. .. 677,435 24,083 1949 .. .. .. 783,307 33,304 WhalingA total of 139 whales, all humpbacks, was taken during the season, the first whale being caught on 12th May and the last on the 20th August. During July, the best month, a total of 61 whales was taken. The total of 139 whales was made up of 87 males and 52 females. The season proved to be a record one. This was attributed to more efficient plant that had been installed and to the excellent co-operation from the personnel. The whales were all in excellent condition, there was a noticeable absence of small whales, and another noteworthy feature of the season was the absence of any other species than the humpback whale. The yield was 973 tons of oil, 100 tons of bonedust, and 300 tons of whale-meat (canned). Kock Oysters A total of 5,076 sacks was picked. The picking commenced on 16th May and finished on 2nd August. The yield of oysters in sacks from each of the various areas was as follows : Bay of Islands, 2,409 ; Whangarei Harbour, 230 ; Coromandel, 450 ; Great Barrier Island, 202 ; Kaipara Harbour, 1,043 ; Hauraki Gulf, 742. The quantities from Hauraki Gulf were obtained from the following areas : Tamaki Strait, 40 ; Ponui Island 478 ; Pakahi Island, 41 ; Waiheke Island, 183. Oyster Cultivation for the Year Ended 31st March, 1950 Area. IV. Takatu Point to Gull Point: 1,008,000 borers destroyed. Cost, £59 18s. 6d. VII. Kawau Island : 76,000 borers destroyed. Cost, £5 2s. X. Motutapu Island : 20,000 borers destroyed. Cost, £5 2s. XIII. Waiheke Island : 100,900 borers destroyed. Cost, £8 7s. 3d. XVI. Great Barrier Island : 1,406 square yards of rock cleared of grape weed ; 680 square yards of rock cleared of dead shell; 2 square yards of high-water rock moved to lower level. Cost, £49 13s. 6d. Total for all areas : 1,204,900 borers destroyed, 1,406 square yards of rock cleared of grape weed ; 680 square yards of rock cleared of dead shell; 2 square yards of highwater rock moved to lower level. Cost, £l2B 3s. 3d. Dredge Oysters : Foveaux Strait, 1949 With the slight increase of 2,892 sacks this year the total catch for the season reached the record figure of 97,336 sacks. This was due in part to the fact that the fleet of ten vessels worked throughout the season and that the weather was, on the whole, favourable. May was an exceptionally fine month, during which a total of 22,990 sacks were landed.

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The table shown below sets out the production of oysters from the various beds. The figures are expressed in boxes, a measure used aboard the oyster boats. There are approximately two boxes to the sack. It will be seen from the table that the Saddle grounds, which are more distant from Bluff than the others, were scarcely worked at all.

Monthly and Total Production From the Various Beds, Expressed in Boxes

The total quantity of oysters produced during each of the last six years is set out below :• — Year. Sacks. Year. Sacks. 1944 .. .. .. 63,949 1947 .. .. .. 81,518 1945 .. .. .. 76,038 1948 .. .. .. 94,444 1946 .. .. .. 89,356 1949 .. .. .. 97,336 TOHEROA Although a few toheroa reappeared on the Ninety-mile Beach, the beds there have shown no real signs of making any recovery. On most other toheroa beaches heavy abstractions by the public have had an adverse effect on the toheroa stocks. Fortunately, however, on some of the northern beaches there are indications that the spawning season had been better than usual. As only one company is at present canning toheroa the production figures and value have not been published separately. This company did, however, enjoy a very successful canning season. Mussels The following is the mussel catch from respective areas this year : Sacks. £ Auckland .. ... .. .. 9,398 3,289 Thames .. .. .. .. 3,408 1,022 Tauranga .. .. .. .. 2,013 589 Whakatane ".. .. .. .. 26 12 14,845 £4,912

The table below shows the catch of mussels over the last five years :

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Month. East. Ruapuke. Dog Island. Bird Island. West. North Islands. Stewart Island. Saddle. Totals. February5,466 4,539 2,083 374 12,462 March 15,267 3,376 912 2,385 8,328 30,268 April 7,332 1,690 17,324 26,346 May 11,196 2,818 158 6,042 20,870 135 41,219 June 1,448 322 11,500 1,538 802 328 15,938 July 132 17,823 1,990 19,945 August 21,800 240 22,040 September 11,665 2,558 20 2,210 5,398 21,851 Totals .. 52,506 13,291 1,090 14,732 103,417 3,528 1,177 328 190,069

— 1945. 1946.' 1947. 1948. 1949. Total quantity landed Sacks. 13,156 Sacks. 10,568 Sacks. 16,261 Sacks. 14,414 Sacks. 14,845

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Whitebait Fishery, 1949 Season

After a disappointing season last year this season showed considerable improvement in most places. The estimated total, 7,899 cwt., also reflects a more complete record than was received last year, and for this reason cannot be used as an exact quantitative comparison with last year's total of 4,517 cwt. Quinnat Salmon Although there was a drop in the number of fish taken as compared with the last two years, the season was a reasonably good one. During this season three nets, one of which was operated for only one month, took 582 fish, as compared with 849 fish last year and 983 fish the year before. Canned Fishery Products A small quantity of fishery products are canned. These include toheroa, mussels, crayfish, trevally, herring, pilchard, whitebait, barracouta, and whalemeat. The quantity canned is set out below : lb. Shell-fish .. .. .. ..' .. .. 81,360 Whitebait .. .. .. .. .. 116,730 Sea fish generally .. .. .. .. .. 579,968 Whale-meat .. .. .. .. .. 583,210 Fishery products unspecified .. . . .. 80,820 Total .. .. .. .. .. 1,442,088

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Number of Total Quantity Caught District. Principal Rivers Fished for Which Returns Were Received. Best Period. Fishermen (Approximately). (ApproxiRegular. Casual. mately). Cwt. Auckland Waikato, Raglan, and Kawhia Sept.-Oct. 130 65 949 Bay of Plenty .. Kaituna, Tarawera, Rangitaiki, Waioeka, Otaro Sept. 5 25 24 Hawke's Bay .. Tukituki, Ngarororo, Porangahau Sept.-Oct. 50 75 17 Wairarapa Lake Onoke Mid. Sept. 2 20 6 Wellington Waikanae, Waimeha, Mangone, Otaki, Waiotohu, Ohau, Manawatu, Kaikokopu, Rangitikei Oct. 86 382 266 Wanganui Turakina, Whangaehu, Wanganui, Kai Iwi Nov. 3 37 16 Patea Waitotara, Whenuakura, Patea Oct.-Nov. 54 170 90 Taranaki Kaupokonui, Ohawe, Tangahoe, Waitara, Mokau, Waiongona, Awakino, Waiwakaiho, Urenui, Te Henui Sept.-Oct. 18 257 333 Marlborough Wairau, Omaka, Opawa, Aorere, Takaka, Motupipi, Motueka, Moutere Oct. 19 22 90| North Canterbury Waiau, Conway, Hurunui, Waipara Oct.-Nov. 21 Christchurch Saltwater, Ashley, Waimakariri, Avon Oct.-Nov. 150 250 413 South Canterbury Rakaia, Orari, Opihi, Ashburton, Rangitata, Waitaki (north bank) Oct.-Nov. 157 Otago Moiyneux, Puerua, Taieri, Waipori, Kakanui, Shag, Waikouaiti, Tokomairiro, Tahakopa, Maclennan, Owaka, Catlins, Tautuku, Pleasant, Wainakarua, Waitaki (south bank) Oct.-Nov. 20 82 98| Southland Matawa, Titiroa, Oreti, Waihopai, Waimatuku, Aparima, Waiau, Big Bay (south-west coast) Oct. 47 408| West Coast — Maori, Haast, Karangarua, Okura, Waiotahi, Turnbull, Nov. 165 20 3,046 Wataroa Cascade, Fox, Jacobs, Mahitahi, Parenga, Blue, Big Wanganui, Poerua, Wataroa Hokitika Hokitika, Mahinapua, Arahura, Totara (Ross) Nov. 126 247 671 Greymouth Grey, New, Teremakau, Paroa Nov. 47 450 277 Westport Karamea, Little Wanganui, Mohikinui, Ourawhaiti, Buller, Totara Nov. 79 850 1,316 7,899|

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Fresh-water Fisheries Fresh-ivater Fisheries Advisory Council. —This representative body continues to achieve its major functions of (1) co-ordinating, harmoniously, the administrative practices of the Marine Department and of the local fisheries authorities—acclimatization societies and the Department of Internal Affairs ; (2) stimulating interest in fisheries research and confidence in the conduct of this work. Since its establishment no significant changes have been made by the Department in administration or research without prior consultation. Legislation and General Regulations. —No changes were made in Part II (fresh water) of the Fisheries Act, 1908, during the year. A long-overdue consolidation and revision of the general fresh-water fisheries regulations has been carried out, and it is expected that the new regulations will come into force before the 1950-51 angling season. Substantial assistance was given by members of the Advisory Council in framing the new regulations, and all important proposed changes have been adequately considered by acclimatization societies. In drafting the new regulations a great deal of matter has been drawn from existing local regulations in acclimatization society and Internal Affairs districts. This was necessary to clear the way for the revocation of most existing local regulations and their reissue in simpler form. In advance of consolidation certain urgent matters were dealt with by a further amendment. These were (1) the increase, at the request of the South Island Council of Acclimatization Societies, of licence fees to bring them into line with those in the North Island ; (2) machinery changes, pursuant to the amending Act of 1948, to simplify greatly the procedure required for altering local regulations. The change in South Island fees was sought so that additional funds could be used for special purposes—namely, staff training and reinforcement of staff services in weaker districts. Local Regulations. —Under the new and simplified procedure, a single, concise, regional set of local by-laws has been issued to replace separate Orders in Council relating to the Wanganui, Hawera, Stratford, and Taranaki acclimatization districts. This was done by ministerial notification in the Gazette under the new power of approving local modifications of general regulations in a restricted and relatively unimportant class of matters. It is proposed progressively to replace all existing district regulations in this manner. A great saving in time in this Department, the Crown Law Office, the Printing Office, and the Legislative Department will result. Further, a body of law hitherto contained in upward of sixty separate documents comprising over 160 pages will be reduced to a concise and more intelligible series of statements in relatively few documents. The co-operation of acclimatization societies has been sought very successfully in reducing the frequency of demands for amendment of local regulations, which too often related to matters of very little substance. Local Administration. —What may be the most important changes in the history of administration of fisheries by acclimatization societies are developing well and along lines strongly supported by this Department. Basic weaknesses hitherto have been (1) wide divergence of policy between different organizations, (2) absence of a sufficiently factual basis for policy, (3) great differences in revenue, relative to responsibilities, of different societies, (4) absence of any system for technical training of fisheries staff. The first two weaknesses are being progressively overcome through the work of the Fresh-water Fisheries Advisory Council and of the two Island Councils of Societies. A solution of the other two difficulties is well advanced in the South Island, where it is proposed to create a pool fund from licence revenue to meet the cost of technical training, regional reinforcement of staff services, and also superannuation (or alternative) staff security benefits. Staff training in fisheries work has been given during the last two years at the Fisheries Laboratory to junior officers of the Department of Internal Affairs who will later replace older retiring men in the Taupo, Rotorua, and Southern Lakes districts.

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It is hoped shortly to give similar training (on a contributory basis, as regards costs) to junior officers of the South Island Societies, and later to extend this training, if asked for, to the remaining North Island districts. Fish-pass Regulations. —These regulations are chiefly useful in ensuring advance consideration of fisheries interests when the damming of any stream is proposed. The most important project considered during the year was the proposed damming of the Hinemaia River to provide electric power for Taupo. Because a thorough survey showed that the proposed dam would be constructed near where natural falls prevent acsess of spawning trout from Lake Taupo, permission to proceed without building a fish-pass was granted. While the Crown is not bound by such regulations, both the Hydro-electric Department and the Mines Department co-operate by ensuring advance consultation with fisheries officers in projects coming within their spheres. Angling Access.' —Attention is drawn to the fact that existing legislation does not prevent all alienation of lake shores and stream banks to which the public have often long enjoyed at least courtesy access. A serious weakness in the otherwise valuable provisions of the Land in Counties Subdivision Act, 1946, was the exception of Maori lands. Further, land not being subdivided or not in a county is unaffected. There are no satisfactory provisions in existing legislation for acquiring, for public use, land excluded from this Act. It seems desirable in the interests of the tourist trade and in the interests of the public generally, apart from anglers, that to the maximum extent feasible lake shores and river banks should become or remain public property. Forestry holdings present a special problem. Their value is so great that it is unreasonable to expect State or private owners to jeopardize these holdings by permitting entry of anglers during dry periods. A partial solution might be to permit entry during a limited time at the opening of each angling season when, under normal weather conditions, the fire risk might be negligible. The only feasible long-term solution would appear to be the reservation, from forestry usages, of a reasonable width of land bordering streams and lakes. Technical Advisory Services. —The reference to the Fisheries Branch of many technical problems of fisheries management by Acclimatization Societies, by the Department of Internal Affairs and, to a lesser extent, by private individuals continues. This advisory service is given by technical officers of the administrative staff and is not permitted to interfere with the work of the research staff. In practice it is found that most of the problems submitted can be answered satisfactorily on the basis of experience or from literature available in the Branch's well-stocked library. The maintenance of a good library, both for this purpose and for the use of the research staff, is essential. Since publication of fisheries bulletins was resumed following the war there has been a very big inflow of exchange literature and a gratifying extension of the list of institutions with which the Department exchanges technical publications. Quinnat Salmon Fisheries. —The runs of quinnat salmon in all major east coast South Island snow rivers appear to be well maintained. In the last ten years or so this species has shown an increasing tendency to populate as well some of the lesser streams such as the Ashley and Ashburton. Early in 1949 reports from Westland suggested strongly that this species had spread by natural dispersion to the Taramakau River, between Hokitika and Greymouth. It has been arranged for observations to be made by a biologist. This species of salmon was originally introduced at the expense of the public. It was established first in the Waitaki River, whence it has spread to other waters. Runs have never developed sufficiently to justify the original hopes that a substantial canning industry might be developed. The practice has been to permit any holders of angling

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licences to fish for salmon without additional charge. A limited amount of commercial exploitation has been permitted by a few nets operating on week-days only in a very, restricted portion of the Waimakariri estuary. Further, a small number of special licences have been issued to permit the sale of rod-caught fish. The Department is not entirely happy about some aspects of competitive angling between the few who hold selling licences and the great majority who do not. It would prefer to restrict commercial exploitation to netting. It seems proper that there should be a certain amount of commercial exploitation, as a species established at the expense of the general taxpayer should be made available to the public generally and not only to the restricted portion of the public who happen to be anglers. During the 1950 run experimental netting is being carried out by the Department in and below the tail-race from the Highbank Power Station on the Eakaia Eiver. Fish which enter this water have no reasonable opportunity of spawning and become highly vulnerable to poaching when they are left in an almost stranded condition by the periodical cutting off of the water-supply for maintenance routines at the power-house. Experiments in progress aim at " salvaging " many of the fish from the race, their transfer to the main river, and the marketing of a proportion of sound fish to cover expenses in this work. The Department is not committed at this stage to any long-term plans at Highbank, but is anxious to find a second source of commercial supplies in the hope that an increase would lead to a reduction of the present high market price of salmon. Fresh-water Research Although the continued impossibility of obtaining further permanent scientific staff has prevented any expansion of the research programme into the many other fields calling urgently for investigation, active progress has been continued along the lines mentioned in previous annual reports. Lake Surveys. —As part of a programme designed to determine the possibility of establishing new species of game fish in those New Zealand waters which have proved unsuitable for trout, the survey of the lakes of the west coast of the North Island has been continued. Last year a number of the lakes in the series between Otaki and Hawera were surveyed, and this has been followed in the present year by a survey of representative lakes between the Waikato and North Cape. In addition to six officers from the Fisheries Laboratory, the survey team this year included scientists from the Botany Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and from the Wildlife Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs. It has thus been possible to gain more complete data regarding the botanical and wild-fowl aspects of the lakes studied, and the information obtained from the correlation of the results will prove valuable to all the Departments concerned. In both areas it has been found that some of the lakes are unsuitable for the introduction of any species of game fish. This is commonly due to one or more of the following causes : too shallow, excessive weed growth, encroachment by swampy banks or shifting sand, or unfavourable chemical conditions (generally absence of sufficient oxygen). There are, however, many lakes which show no obvious adverse features, and it is intended that the next step should be a close study of typical representatives of these throughout the year. This will not only reveal whether unfavourable conditions develop at any time other than late summer (when the surveys have been made), but it will also show the extent of the annual variation in such factors as temperatures. When these further studies have been completed it may be possible to select from among the game fish known in other parts of the world one which requires a habitat similar in all essentials to that offered by the west coast lakes ; such a fish could then be introduced with good chances of success.

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Eels.- —Investigation of eel populations lias now been carried out in the Southland, Wellington, and Waikato districts. The work done in the Wellington district has been the most intensive and has provided valuable information on the feeding habits of eels in a fairly typical shingle river. A comparison of results from the various areas has shown that in rivers of the same type the density of the eel population is generally similar. In rivers of differing types the population density appears to be determined by the amount of cover present for the eels. The amount of cover varies from a minimum in open shifting shingle-bed streams to a maximum in stable heavily-weeded streams with deep holes and overhanging banks. The corresponding range in the density of the population of trappable eels is from 15-20 lb. per acre of water to over 1,000 lb. per acre. The constitution of the trappable population — i.e., its size distribution —has been almost identical in all regions and in all types of river. Some information has been collected on the feeding habits of the smaller, freeswimming eels which do not enter a baited trap. The feeding habits have been found to show significant differences which are correlated with size. Fish-eating tendencies begin to appear in the 24—28 in. size range. Associated with this is a tendency to feed less frequently, and there is also a marked change in the preferences which the eels show for the various groups of the insect fauna. At present the qualitative aspects of the feeding habits of the free-swimming eels of all sizes are being worked out, but it is hoped that later a quantitative study will be possible. For this, and several other problems the present methods of trapping eels are unsatisfactory, and consideration is being given to the development of more efficient methods. Angling Records. —The anglers' diary scheme which had been inaugurated in 1947-48 was continued in 1948-49. An increasing number of acclimatization societies showed active interest in the scheme, and in nearly all cases those societies which had operated in the previous year showed an increased response in 1948-49. It is gratifying to record that two societies—Nelson and Waimarino —were able to obtain diaries from more than one-fifth of their anglers. Where co-operation on this scale is available, reliable data can be obtained regarding the state of the fish stock in the principal waters, and it also becomes possible to make some estimate of the quantity of fish which anglers are taking. Owing to the doubt which must exist as to how far the diarists are typical of all anglers it will, however, be necessary to obtain diaries from an ever greater proportion of anglers if information on this highly important point is to be really reliable. The total number of diaries received through the thirteen acclimatization societies which took part in the diary scheme was 304. This is a substantial improvement on the previous year, although it still represents less than 2 per cent, of the New Zealand anglers. These records provided some data regarding the state of the stocks in 125 of the major rivers and lakes. It has also become possible for the first time to get an approximate idea of the number of trout which are taken in New Zealand in the course of a season ; it appears that this is about 650,000 fish. Similar data regarding angling catches in the Rotorua, Taupo, and Southern Lakes districts has been collected by field officers of the Department of Internal Affairs and analysed at the Fisheries Laboratory. The quantity of data obtained from these districts also shows a decided improvement over the previous season.

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On several occasions during the year use has been made of information gained through the diary scheme to determine the probable effect of proposed changes in district regulations, and decisions have been made in accordance with these findings. Horokiwi Investigation. —Analysis of the results of the detailed studies made on this stream in 1939-42 have been continued and the manuscript is now well advanced for publication. During the year a circular was prepared showing the results obtained from the studies of ten years of anglers' diaries from this stream. The results indicated clearly that in this very typical small trout stream, natural phenomena such as floods had been of very much greater importance than liberations in determining the size of the stock. Erosion and Flooding. —Progress has been made with the analysis of the results of the studies made in 1947 on the effects of floods and the shifting of river-beds on the bottom fauna. It is hoped that the results will be published during the coming year. Fiordland Expedition. —The data collected by the fisheries officers who accompanied the above expedition have been analysed and the results will be published with the other reports on the expedition. No trout or other introduced fish were found in the area, and native fresh-water fish were not abundant, although eels and bulhes were recorded, as well as several species of Galaxias. Publications. —Although no Fisheries Bulletins or other major publications have appeared during the year a number of technical and research articles have been published by members of the staff in various journals. These include " Migrating Eels in Lake Ellesmere," by D. F. Hobbs, and " Some Aspects of the Production and Cropping of Fresh Waters," by K. R. Allen in " Proceedings of New Zealand Science Congress, 1947 " ; " The New Zealand Grayling," by K. R. Allen, and " Problems of Marine and Freshwater Fisheries Biology in New Zealand," by K. R. Allen and R. M. Cassie in Tuatara, and " Lakes," by K. R. Allen in New Zealand Science Review. Marine Research Work has continued on the two major lines of research commenced last year—namely, trawl mesh selectivity and toheroa population studies. In addition, the detailed analysis of catches from selected boats in the Nelson area has been continued. During the year a systematic plankton sampling programme in the Hauraki Gulf and adjacent waters was commenced in co-operation with Mr. A. S. Fuller, of the Zoology Department of the Auckland University College. The Marine Biologist also made fishing trips on trawlers from Gisborne and Dunedin to make a preliminary acquaintance with these fisheries and their problems. Sufficient experimental trawling by the research vessel " Ikatere " has now been completed to produce some reasonably conclusive data, suggesting that at least in Hauraki Gulf the optimum mesh size of cod-ends for snapper is nearer 5 in. than the present legal minimum of 4 in. As time has permitted trawl catches have been subjected to biological examination, yielding valuable statistics for several species of fish. Further surveys of the toheroa populations have been made on the Muriwai and Waiterere beaches, but this data is still being statistically examined.

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The naval survey vessel H.M.N.Z.S. "Lachlan," at present engaged in the work of surveying and recharting the coastal waters, has already made special contributions. In January, 1950, the Marine Biologist was privileged to accompany H.M.N.Z.S. "Lachlan" on a special survey of the Mernoo Bank bearing 080° and distant some 95 miles from Godley Head. A committee set up to formulate and handle the biological and oceanographic collections which are being made in the course of the survey work has already received several consignments of material. The Seventh Pacific Science Congress held at Auckland and Christchurch during 1949 permitted a valuable interchange of views with leading overseas fisheries scientists. Legislation Pursuant to the Fisheries Act, 1908, the following regulations were enacted during the year: (1) The Fresh Water Fisheries Begulations 1936, Amendment No. 7 (Serial No. 1949/146). (2) The Fresh Water Fisheries (North Canterbury) Begulations 1946, Amendment No. 2 (Serial No. 1949/147). (3) The Fresh Water Fisheries (Hawera, Stratford, Taranaki, and Wanganui) (Bevocation) Begulations 1950 (Serial No. 1950/10). (4) The Fresh Water Fisheries (Hawera, Stratford, Taranaki, and Wanganui) Modification Notice 1950. (Serial No. 1950/11). Pursuant to the Whaling Industry Act, 1935, the following regulations were enacted during the year : (1) The Whaling Industry Begulations, 1949 (Serial No. 1949/149). There were no amendments to the Act itself, nor were there any amendments to the Sea Fisheries Begulations. Staff Additions to the field staff during the year consisted of the appointment of Inspectors of Fisheries in the new sub-districts of Nelson-Marlborough and the West Coast. For the laboratory we were fortunate in obtaining the services of a qualified research assistant to help the Marine Biologist with the laboratory and analytical work. Other appointments were all in the nature of transfers or replacements of staff who had resigned or retired. Appendix The appendix to this report sets out the grouping of the various fishing ports as used in this report. M. W. YOUNG, Chief Inspector of Fisheries.

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APPENDIX No. 1 The grouping of the individual ports of landing of the fishing boats that forms the basis of the statistical data in the report is as follows :

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Reference Name. Area Definition (Includes all Landing-places of district. Between the Points Named). North Island Mangonui Reef Point via North Cape to Cape Surville. Whangaroa Cape Surville to Cape Wiwiki. Bay of Islands . Cape Wiwiki to Cape Brett. Whangarei Cape Brett to Cape Rodney. Auckland Cape Rodney to Orere Point. Thames Orere Point to Deadman's Point. Coromandel Deadman's Point to Cape Colville. Mercury Bay Cape Colville to Te Ho Point. Tauranga Te Ho Point to Tarawera River. Whakatane Tarawera River to East Cape. Gisborne East Cape to Portland Island. Napier Portland Island to Cape Tt rnagain. Castle Point Cape Turnagain to Cape Turakirae. Wellington Cape Turakirae to Cape Terawhiti. Makara Cape Terawhiti to Bridge Pah. Paremata Bridge Pah to Paekakariki. Paraparaumu Paekakariki to Waitarere. Manawatu Waitarere to Turakina. Waiiganui Turakina to Mamitahi. New Plymouth . Manutahi to Tirua Point. Kawhia Tirua Point to Waipapa Point. Raglan Waipapa Point to Warahu. Manukau Warahu to Muriwai. Kaipara Muriwai to Mangonui Bluff. Hokianga Mangonui Bluff to Reef Point. South Island Golden Bay Kahurangi Point to Separation Point. Motueka Separation Point to White Bluffs. Nelson White Bluffs to Cape Soucis. French Pass Cape Soucis to Cape Lambert. Haveloek Boat Rock Point to Cape Lambert. Picton Cape Lambert to Robertson Point. Blenheim Robertson Point to Cape Campbell. Kaikoura Cape Campbell to and including Motunau. Lyttelton Motunau to and including Le Bons Bay. Akaroa Le Bons Bay to and including Taumutu. Lake Ellesmere . Lake Ellesmere and Lake Forsyth. Timaru Taumutu to Waitaki River. Oamaru Waitaki River to Look Out Bluff. Moeraki Look Out Bluff to Red Cliff. .Karitane Red Cliff to Potato Point. Port Chalmers Potato Point to Green Island. Taieri Mouth Green Island to Cooks Head. Nuggets Cooks Head to Chaslands Mistake. Waikawa Chaslands Mistake to and including Mataura River. Bluff .. Mataura River to Barracouta Head (including Stewart Island). Riverton _/" Barracouta Head to Puysegor Point. \ Puysegor Point to Cascade Point. Hokitika Cascade Point to Taramakau River. Greymouth Taramakau River to Seal Island. Westport Seal Island to Kahurangi Point. Chatham Islands Chatham Islands. #

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MARINE FISH HATCHERY AND BIOLOGICAL STATION, PORTOBELLO Sir I have the honour to submit, for the information of the Hon. the Minister of Marine, a report on the Portobello Marine Fish Hatchery and Biological Station for the year ended 31st March, 1950. This station was established nearly fifty years ago under section 65 of Part I of the Fisheries Act, 1908, which made provision for " the establishment of fish-breeding or fish-hatcheries," a form of enterprise which, so far as marine fish culture was concerned, had originated in America and Europe, its pioneers and advocates possessing more enthusiasm for undertakings of " practical " value than understanding of the actual biological conditions governing such matters. Experience has since shown the impracticability of such undertakings, and the development of marine biological science has provided an explanation of the reasons for their fruitlessness. In the case of the Portobello establishment the relatively enlightened outlook of the first Chairman of its Board of Management, the Hon. G. M. Thomson, resulted in the recognition of the value of this station as a means of providing for the study of marine life in addition to its primary object of artificial fish hatching and the acclimatization of exotic species in New Zealand waters. For many years our only knowledge regarding the life-histories of fishes and other forms of life in New Zealand seas was the result of researches carried out at Portobello. Results could have been greatly augmented but for the fact that the financial provision for staff and equipment has never been adequate for anything like the full use of the potential facilities available at Portobello. In this branch of science New Zealand's progress has been far behind that of other British Commonwealth nations and most other civilized countries. The most apparent reason for this is that the actual control, by way of financial appropriations, of work that could be done at Portobello has been subject to the annual estimates of a department the interests and functions of which were statutorily based mainly on the administrative tasks connected with the operations of the fishing industry. The fact that effective and permanently beneficial administrative control of the fishing industry must be based on a scientific understanding of conditions of life in the sea has been all too slow in receiving recognition. During the last twenty-five years in which fishery investigational work has been undertaken, quite appropriately and indeed inevitably (though not as extensively as was desirable), by the Marine Department the only work carried on at Portobello that has advanced scientific knowledge of sea life has been done by members of the staff and research students of Otago University or by occasional visitors from other University colleges or from overseas. The transference of the administration of the Portobello Station to an authority that is responsible for the furtherance of scientific research that is fundamental or general, as distinct from investigations for immediately practical purposes, is a development that would appear to be logical and appropriate at this stage. For this reason the Board is in favour of the proposal to hand over the Station into the charge of the University of Otago, whose members of staff have borne a considerable share in the duties of management as well as carrying out noteworthy research work through many difficult years. It is understood that steps to this end are now in train. During the past year much use has been made of the Station by the Botany and Zoology Departments of the University, and in August, 1949, a short marine course was held for students. Dr. Margaret Naylor, marine algologist from England, who is temporarily a member of the Botany Department, has been the only overseas visitor. Thanks to a generous grant from the University of Otago, much needed repairs to the aquarium building and one of the dwellings have been carried out. The Board is pleased to report that the station is now in a better condition than has been the case for several years. I have, &c, A. E. Hefford, Chairman of the Board. %

44

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Table I—Showing Approximately the Total Quantities of Fish and Shell -fish Landed at the Various Ports for the Year Ended 31st December, 1949

45

Shell-fishery (Excluding Toheroa). Quantity Landed (Fish). Total Grand Name of Port or District. Value Total Total (Fish). Oysters. Value. Mussels. Value. Crayfish. Value. Value (Shellfish). Value. North Island Cwt. £ Sacks. £ Sacks. £ Cwt. £ £ £ Mangonui 1,783 3,299 21 51 51 3,350 Whangaroa 1,058 1,836 951 2,164 2,164 4,000 Bay of Islands 3,955 6,879 1,018 2,339 2,339 9,218 Whangarei 5,247 8,193 61 169 169 8,362 Auckland 133,169 193,504 5,076 8,744 9,398 3,289 1,428 4,190 16,223 209,727 Thames 17,602 32,764 3,408 1,022 1,022 33,786 Coromandel 930 1,158 1.158 Mercury Bay 1,695 3,345 2,2i9 6,505 6,505 9,850 Tauranga 12,948 20,572 2,oi3 589 115 343 932 21,504 Whakatane 1,762 3,478 26 12 140 485 497 3,975 Gisborne 14,675 22,233 631 1,521 1,521 23,754 Napier 25,320 45,730 1,029 2,798 2,798 48,528 Castle Point 136 560 395 921 921 1,481 Wellington 50,617 114,554 3,464 9,990 9,990 124,544 Makara 468 1,238 268 714 714 1,952 Paremata 3,443 12,433 236 634 634 13,067 Paraparaumu 918 2,787 2,787 Manawatu 308 1,324 1,324 Wanganui 311 776 776 New Plymouth 3,527 8,388 224 658 658 9,046 Kawhia 623 1,981 1,981 Raglan 934 2,479 2,479 Manakau 1,046 2,530 '24 '55 '55 2,585 Kaipara 2,930 9,691 9,691 Hokianga 377 639 639 South Island, Golden Bay 178 386 19 44 44 430 Motueka 3,138 4,854 2 4 4 4,858 Nelson 14,069 23,863 126 296 296 24,159 French Pass 2,442 6,894 6,894 Havelock 3,197 7,633 "l ' 1 1 7,634 Picton 3,817 11,226 3,050 7,749 7,749 18,975 Blenheim 1,691 2,770 685 1,755 1,755 4,525 Kaikoura 2,895 7,707 5,123 13,777 13,777 21,484 Lyttelton 15,223 33,679 1,330 4,607 4,607 38,286 Akaroa .. .. 4,017 10,592 3,232 10,877 10,877 21,469 Lake Ellesmere 2,335 8,731 8,731 Timaru 19,403 50,985 7 "l2 "l2 50,997 Oamaru 3,402 8,936 8,936 Moeraki 2,372 6,759 867 l,5i5 l,5i5 8,274 Karitane 468 1,130 2,772 3,435 3,435 4,565 Port Chalmers 41,359 65,264 1,351 3,930 3,930 69,194 Taieri Mouth 1,279 3,981 1,131 3,453 3,453 7,434 Nuggets 3,863 11,172 25 55 55 11,227 "Waikawa 4,948 14,170 423 1,318 1,318 15,488 Bluff - Stewart Island 19,197 54,140 97,336 81,519 3,777 11,238 92,757 146,897 Riverton District 857 2,118 2,118 Hokitika Greymouth 3 j 364 8^851 8 j 851 Westport 2,791 7,100 626 1,431 1,431 8,531 Chatham Islands 7,816 9,020 9,020 Totals 449,903 864,332 102,412 90,263 14,845 4,912 36,771 99,034 194,209 1,058,541 [This table becomes Table I for this year only.]

11—15

Table II—Showing The Number of Fishing-vessels and the Number of Fishermen Engaged in the Industry at Each Port or District for the Year Ended 31st December, 1949

46

Analysis of Methods of Fishing. Number of Vessels Licensed, 1st January, 1949, to Fishermen Employed Vessels Engaged in Fishing for Wet Fish. Vessels Engaged in Shell Fishery. 31st December, 1949. (Including Name of Port or District. Skipper). Motor-vessels Danishseining. Steamtrawlers. Motortrawlers Motor-vessels Set-nets, and Line-fishing. Rowingboats. Oyster- Musseldredging dredging Vessels. Vessels. Crayfishingvessels. ,0 < ffl d £ ft If 1 if p5 J f P 1 a a Part Time. 1 Whole Time. a a 8 a 4 1 Time. Whole Time. a 1 8 a a North Island Mangonui 24 7 7 10 n 23 7 13 2 2 Whangaroa 23 8 7 8 9 24 1 13 '2 5 "& Bay of Islands . 50 19 16 15 24 41 15 25 1 3 4 11 Whangarei 29 6 7 16 14 32 i 5 13 2 7 Auckland 170 68 32 70 221 146 32 "3 3 12 18 59 12 ! "1 "1 "6 22 Thames 51 23 8 20 60 34 22 15 10 1 Coromandel 12 1 6 5 1 14 1 4 5 Mercury Bay 37 12 8 7 20 34 5 15 1 ii "ii Tauranga 49 10 15 24 28 58 "1 '3 7 26 3 1 "4 12 Whakatane 15 5 4 6 ■ 8 21 1 3 6 '2 1 1 "1 2 Gisborne 24 11 4 9 26 26 7 i 4 4 1 11 Napier 40 26 4 10 61 26 17 3 4 12 i 6 20 Castle Point 5 1 2 2 2 7 1 3 1 3 Wellington 42 27 1 14 107 28 • 3 '2 16 14 '4 13 9 Makara 6 2 3 1 3 7 2 4 2 3 Paremata 17 7 4 6 14 15 6 8 1 2 Paraparaumu 10 2 8 2 9 2 5 i Manawatu 16 2 '4 10 4 17 1 1 i 11 Wanganui 15 1 5 9 1 21 1 11 New Plymouth . 21 7 6 8 15 19 i 6 10 i "l "8 Kawhia 6 3 1 2 4 3 3 1 2 Baglan 12 3 6 3 4 13 3 5 3 Manakau 20 4 7 9 4 20 4 9 4 ' 1 Kaipara 42 20 6 16 23 28 19 11 i Hokianga 20 3 17 25 . 12 '3

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c: K^w^^^ w^^h? y^ e ffirtSsa io°° gross - b : mmber of vesseis whose catch for the year exeeeded £5 ° but did Mt «°^^~ method of fishf™ any * he \fi - CatC K for + ? ia J method exceeds £2OO value. A vessel may therefore be regarded as being whole time in more than one metnoa 01 nsnmg. Part time in any method is where the total catch is positive but less than £2OO in value. [This table becomes Table II for this year only.]

47

South Island Golden Bay 4 1 1 2 1 4 6 3 35 32 8 14 14 10 12 24 4 5 "l 25 1 1 1 1 10 10 9 *15 1 8 10 13 11 13 1 13 4 1 60 4 1 3 1 19 11 9 2 6 8 10 8 2 3 1 7 9 2 5 7 14 5 1 Motueka Nelson French Pass Havelook Picton . . Blenheim Kaikoura ■Lyttelton Akaroa Lake BUesmere . Timaru Oamaru Moeraki Karitane Port Chalmers . Taieri Mouth 8 13 31 34 22 14 39 23 27 32 30 16 15 8 51 8 4 11 10 13 16 6 28 15 19 14 29 12 15 7 33 7 2 1 7 9 1 2 4 4 9 1 3 'i 5 2 1 14 12 5 6 7 8 4 9 i is i 12 22 16 25 31 10 36 31 32 22 58 22 22 7 74 11 i i '2 9 '3 3 1 12 4 i.9 1 19 3 8 6 2 i '7 '2 2 '4 '2 i 1 1 2 '4 i i '2 6 i • • 11 3 27 5 15 "3 6 1 3 2 "l 1 2 5 12 6 "2 "4 2 15 1 8 4 40 Nuggets Waikawa Bluff-Stewart Is Kiverton District Hokitika land 16 15 94 11 10 8 68 4 i 5 6 3 5 2 20 4 18 14 169 8 10 13 70 14 i 'io 7 "l 23 Greymouth West-port io 17 *7 4 i 3 10 "VL 7 "3 15 2 '2 2 "2 1 "6 "l 9 "2 "l 6 Chatham Islands 5 4 1 13 2 "4 Totals . 1,289 620 235 434 1,339 1,016 32 4 8 142 30 355 442 11 86 10 3 6 159 247

H—ls

Table III—Showing the Quantities of Different Kinds of Fish Caught by the Different Methods of Fishing for the Year Ended 31st December, 1949

48

Fish. Trawl. Danish Seine. Other Nets. Steam. Motor. Total. Motor. Motor. Row-boat. Total. Cwt. £ Cwt. £ Cwt, £ Cwt. £ Cwt, £ Cwt. £ Cwt. £ Barracouta 3,553 1,788 126 159 3,679 1,947 3 4 2 1 5 5 Blue cod 7 19 52 144 59 163 8 "24 1 1 9 25 Bonita (Brarna) Brill .. "l5 "43 "l47 '505 'l62 '548 Butterflsh (Greenbone) 16 17 16 17 "l8 "l2 lJ087 561 8 "28 1^13 3| 601 Conger-eel * 6 5 6 5 6 6 6 6 Cream-fish '287 '201 287 201 Elephant-fish 193 205 5J871 12J833 6,064 13,038 "75 'l81 "75 'l81 Flounders 46 126 6,976 25,207 7,022 25,333 "39 'l35 9,581 34,619 ljiio 4^480 10,730 39,234 Frost-fish 1 2 1 2 Garfish (piper) .. 8 "35 108 303 116 338 Gurnard 2^122 1^584 18^308 19 j858 20^430 21 |442 3,444 2,421 785 548 2 2 4,231 2,971 Hake 475 1,284 635 1,687 1,110 2,971 Hapuku (groper) 979 3,081 2,779 9,455 3,758 12,538 'l64 '430 7 "l4 171 '444 Herrings 1,162 1,146 '429 '503 1,591 1,649 John-dory '304 '460 1J726 2^634 2^030 3J094 Kahawai 4 3 75 55 79 58 "l2 8 315 '271 4 6 '331 '285 Kingfish 52 72 52 72 8 6 30 44 1 1 39 51 Ling '718 1^243 5,253 9,891 5,971 11,134 1 1 1 1 Mackerel 153 157 1 1 154 158 378 217 378 217 Maomao 1 2 4 6 5 8 Mold ljill 2^025 2^631 4^008 3^742 6^033 173 338 "is "42 191 380 Mullet 1,815 3,161 146 224 1,961 3,385 Parori 141 192 4 6 145 198 Perch "30 "23 6 4 "36 "27 Pioki 817 614 1,719 2,214 2,536 2,828 '267 '391 '298 'ill "10 "10 '575 '812 Red cod 534 432 2,275 2,079 2,809 2,511 2 4 2 4 Sardine 223 156 223 156 Shark '555 '769 'l02 "94 '657 '863 "22 "10 66 77 3 3 91 90 Skate 28 16 28 16 Snapper 22 \ 898 34^949 27,772 46,205 50,670 81,154 54|6ll 81 1887 11^281 17;696 '218 '425 65^510 100^008 Sole 396 1,099 24,281 73,397 24,677 74,496 1 7 3 7 4 14 Swordfish (marlin) Taraklhi 45^021 81 \ 565 59,565 101 j917 104^586 183^482 5^841 8^773 "25 "48 3 4 5^869 8^825 Trevally 4,409 3,145 604 566 5,013 3,711 579 414 964 888 35 44 1,578 1,346 Trumpeter 4 13 10 28 14 41 Tuna .. Warehou '246 '295 '246 '295 'l60 '339 '16O 339 Whiptail 526 443 "l7 "l3 543 456 Whiting 91 70 91 70 Mixed flat fish .. Mixed round fish and all fish not specified . 2^486 '760 643 '605 3Ji29 1^365 '868 '623 '331 '399 4 6 1,'208 1^028 Totals .. 87,980 136,396 161,676 313,669 249,656 450,065 65,291 95,178 29,025 64,639 1,998 5,786 96,314 165,603

H—ls

Table III—Showing the Quantities of Different Kinds of Fish Caught by the Different Methods of Fishing for the Year Ended 31st December, 1949— continued

3—H—ls

49

Lines. Fish. Grand Total. Motor. Row-boat. Total. Cwt. £ Cwt. £ Cwt. £ Cwt. £ Barracouta 9,445 3,673 9,445 3,673 13,129 5,625 Blue cod 29,709 72,470 2 9 29,711 72,479 29,779 72,667 Bonita (Brama) 1 1 1 1 1 1 Brill 162 548 Butterflsh (greenbone ) 1,129 3,618 Conger-eel .. "l45 "150 "145 "l50 157 161 Cream-fish 287 201 Elephant-flsh 7 19 7 19 6,146 13,238 Flounders .. 17,752 64,567 Frost-fish .. 4 6 4 6 5 8 Garfish (piper) 116 338 Gurnard .. "519 "480 23 23 "542 "503 25,203 24,916 Hake 824 2,879 824 2,879 1,934 5,850 Hapuku (groper) 34,796 117,231 27 85 34,823 117,316 38,752 130,296 Herrings .. 1,591 1,649 John-dory .. 8 13 8 13 2,038 3.107 Kahawai .. 118 118 6 5 124 123 534 466 Kingfish .. 329 512 32 38 361 550 452 673 Ling 5,792 11,815 5,792 11,815 11,764 22,950 Mackerel .. 532 375 Maomao 1 1 1 1 6 9 Moki 30 57 1 2 31 59 3,964 6,472 Mullet 1,961 3.385 Parori 145 198 Perch 43 31 43 31 79 58 Pioki 987 1,362 1 2 988 1,364 4,099 5,004 Red cod .. 79 76 79 76 2,890 2,591 Sardine 223 156 Shark 1,'691 2^203 iJ691 2^203 ■ 2,439 3,156 Skate 4 3 4 3 32 19 Snapper 17,597 32,477 "740 1J294 18,337 33,771 134,517 214,933 Sole 24,681 74,510 Swordfish (marlin) . Tarakihi .. "548 i,'028 7 19 555 l|047 nijoio 193 \ 354 Trevally .. 60 54 60 54 6,651 5,111 Trumpeter 109 241 109 241 123 282 Tuna Warehou .. 3 5 3 5 ' ' 409 ' 639 Whiptail .. 1 1 1 1 544 457 Whiting . . 91 70 Mixed flat fish Mixed round fish and all fish not specified "244 "281 "244 "281 4^570 2^674 Totals 103.094 247,189 839 1,477 103,933 248,664 449,903 864,332

H—ls

Table IV—Showing Approximately the Quantities of Different Kinds of Fish Landed at Ports During the Year Ended 31st December, 1949

50

— 1 bo § § a 1 f— f O 0? 1 as i 1 I | 1 8 >> >> H g 03 a i 03 a 1 Gisborne. Napier. I 1 a Makara. Paremata. 3 a 1 a 03 PM Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Barracouta 1 1,000 4 2 Blue cod .. "3 io 'l7 "l 672 "l 24 "l 4 "2 117 37 3 4 Bonita (Erama) . Brill Butterfish '26 "5 "4 "7 '9 "l 258 i54 64 ii4 Conger-eel 31 48 13 2 Cream-fish 287 Elephant -fish "6 '. '44 Flounders "2 23 457 'io 379 4,432 "5 'ii '78 118 347 2 '6 Frost-fish 5 Garfish (piper) "2 43 '53 Gurnard .. 'l7 5,949 1,022 "3 "3 89 '34 1,396 3,762 260 2 Hake 72 34 875 io Hapuku (groper) . 182 39 177 i58 1,965 296 362 34 576 1,153 112 9,944 '37 3,158 234 Herrings .. 782 5 798 3 2 1 John-dory 298 1,037 562 7 Kahawai .. '74 "4 '46 "8 30 170 "6 '94 "8 62 1 "3 Kingfish . . 6 38 48 3 154 23 20 18 1 13 66 i3 ! Ling 4 2,852 47 ' 2 Mackerel . . 153 Maomao .. "l "4 "l Moki 1,028 898 i3 1,121 '23 '6 "l Mullet . . 322 'il 372 'l2 3i4 ii 1 Parori 132 3 "8 "2 Perch Pioki '25 H8 268 31 "7 'is '58 '6 674 "4 '7 Red cod . . 6 30 131 1 Sardine .. Shark 265 '99 ii3 294 751 81 '45 "7 14 "9 "2 Skate "l 9 Snapper .. 733 794 1,695 4,246 92,262 n.sii 129 1,131 1,633 1,326 1,108 2,432 "7 605 80 i04 461 Sole 3 7 415 461 2 Swordfish (marlin) Tarakihi .. 5 "8 35 60 22,604 iio 10,354 i97 8,797 15,625 31,234 "s 35 63 Trevally .. 185 21 189 5,397 131 6 254 66 33 194 10 1 3 Trumpeter 1 "1 5 Tuna Warehou 263 '84 '. '27 Whiptail .. 306 Whiting .. 91 Mixed flat fish Mixed round fish and all fish not specifie 1 "4 "l 'i3 186 1,226 "7 '66 "l "l 'l 341 1,783 1,058 3,955 5,247 133,169 17,602 930 1,695 12,948 1,762 14,675 25,320 136 50,617 468 3,443 918

H—ls

Table IV—Showing Approximately the Quantities of Different Kinds of Fish Landed at Ports During the Year Ended 31st December, 1949— continued

4—H—ls

51

A I . •^ 5 >> *7> 1 J ! i i ! i 1 1 I | 1 I 1 i 1 i 1 1 M Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Barracouta 17 43 83 9 Blue cod .. "9 'is ' '2 'is '24 21 825 ii7 302 ' 1 21 Bonita (Brama) . 1 Brill Biitterfish ' 1 232 ' '0 ' 99 "5 46 Conger-eel 40 14 2 Cream-fish Elephant -fish . . • • ' '2 "2 21 21 Flounders 139 ' 1 211 ii>6 381 1,861 '36 132 i,iii 273 "9 149 11 Frost-fish . Garfish (piper) • 'is Gurnard . . 'l5 . I 124 76.1 5,768 '25 '93 23 Hake (•> 1 3 11 Hapttku (groper) . 'l2 'l4 334 23 "7 "l - 2 '23 63 841 806 3,035 "3 1,034 aeiTIEgS • ■ Jolm-dory '43 io 13 38 1 ' 1 io "9 loC" : 20 1 ii ii "2 "l 7 14 i83 1,356 '21 357 Slaomao '.'. Mold ' '1 "l 'i7 "3 378 is Mullet .. . ' 1 311 305 271 Parori • i Perch .. .. Mold ' 96 'is "4 '25 ' 5 171 376 ' 1 147 1 Red cod .. ' '2 1 2 1 2 'i')7 '10 Sardine .. 22:'. Shark . . '.'. ' '8 "l i<>9 5 333 2io 36 io Skate Snapper . . 141 284 2.62: 355 717 274 382 'is i 21 1,743 6,391 269 670 '26 ' 38 ' 7Sole 1 9 9 181) 94 1 177 82 Swordfish (martin) Taraldhi .. "l is; 2:il '68 ' 4 "6 246 2i9 Trevally . . 02 ' 3 ' '."> ' 1 ' '2 '87 Trumpeter "3 Tuna Warehou WMptail .. Whiting .. Mixed flat fish Mixed round fish and all fish not specified "l ' '2 '24 i67 21 io "2 'i2 "0 308 311 3,527 62:5 934 1,046 2,930 377 178 3,138 14,069 2,442 3,197 3,817 1,691 2,895

H—ls

Table IV—Showing Approximately the Quantities of Different Kinds of Fish Landed at Ports During the Year Ended 31st December, 1949— continued

52

£ 1 ,g 1 | 0 . 4 g 1 0 H 0 d aS cS "3 +j a & hi i 1 < 1 3 H O | 6 1 H St em '3 w-5 °5 i 2 0 13 Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Barraeouta 21 VI 49 20 138 11,027 3 3 o8 Blue cod .. 10 2 356 1,243 171 348 iio 108 420 16,670 758 7^676 Bonita (Bra/ma) Brill 34 'io '22 "2 5 '. '31 '53 Butterflsh "3 3 92 Conger-eel 1 4 2 Cream-fish Elephant-fish 2,028 998 2,020 32 1.31 'i4 '. 131 '90 Flounders 648 . 142 2, 335 2,503 7 '21 944 '34 351 08 49 30 87 63 Frost-fish ' Garfish (piper) Gurnard .. 1,328 480 2,253 ii9 498 '38 '20 126 '. 375 614 Hake 253 82 240 ' 1 339 1 Hapuku (groper) 403 1,045 3,703 2,042 1,053 'so 1,394 486 297 385 1,049 '69 ! i,iio 42 iio Herrings ,. John-dory • • "3 "l Kahawai .. 0 Kingfish .. Ling 1,997 535 3,072 41 'l7 "e 934 2 'io 'io "l '. '45 23 Mackerel .. 1 Maomao .. Mold i20 '49 '24 "6 "1 229 2 Mullet .. Parori Perch Pioki '52 "l 1 'l2 "3 '38 1,065 ' 1 37 ! 127 ;; in •• Pied cod .. 223 13 280 '42 'it 5 1,708 "6 66 "9 1 181 47 Sardine .. ■ • _ Shark Skate Snapper .. Sole "l 35 530 "2 156 "8 1,610 'ei '40 '18 2 10,648 638 "3 2,935 3,999 886 '41 897 77 825 Swoidfish (marlin) Taraldhi .. ! ! 7,469 459 2,255 io2 "4 9,566 "l "l 'lB ! 268 773 Trevally .. Trumpeter io "2 "l 1 2 "l '97 Tuna '.35 238 Warehou Whiptail .. Whiting .. Mixed flat fish Mixed round fish an d all fish i ot specine a '41 'in '66 ' 4 2,175 io ' 1 166 '. ' 4 15,223 4,017 2,f 35 19,403 3,402 2,372 468 41,359 1,279 3,863 4,948 19,197 857 3,364 2,791 7,816

H—ls

Table V —Showing Total Quantities of Wet Fish Landed Each Month During 1949

53

Fort or District. >> o3 0 1 ,c; § ,0 1 -a 0 0 1 S Totals. 1 M & 1 ft 2 £ bo 3 Ph 0 8 fr a < a 1-5 •^ <i ce O fc A North Island Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Mangonui 98 105 202 256 73 120 127 101 103 149 130 319 1,783 Whangaroa . . 47 55 104 112 66 105 94 76 93 105 110 91 1,058 Bay of Islands 451 462 447 308 240 373 215 188 243 277 407 341 3,955 Whaugarei .. 358 342 515 494 251 439 377 404 545 573 533 410 5,247 Auckland 6,538 9,037 10,290 9,377 11,827 10,293 11,390 13,155 11,834 16,412 12,841 10.175 133,109 Thames 1,110 1,298 1,736 1,615 1,153 1,551 2,025 2,172 2,205 1,306 912 519 17,602 Coromandel .. 62 152 166 91 28 33 71 19 23 29 154 102 930 Mercury Bay 187 182 202 259 121 265 108 44 31 89 49 158 1,695 Tauranga 639 948 789 985 922 854 1,067 1,537 1,508 1,244 1,341 1,114 12,948 Whakatane .. 79 83 90 85 187 61 52 196 182 315 252 180 1,762 Gisborne 1,049 1,311 1,421 1,124 668 1,108 1,241 1,258 1,480 1,557 1,220 1,238 14,675 Napier 1,140 2,350 1,926 1,377 1,475 1,691 2,834 2,246 2,818 4,054 1,067 1,742 25,320 Castle Point 22 34 20 16 12 1 5 8 18 136 Wellington .. 3,116 3,999 5,494 3,506 4,932 3! 717 3,898 3^464 4^513 3,764 5,183 5.031 50,617 Makara 61 19 99 28 33 33 46 65 39 3 39 3 468 Paremata 306 233 255 155 920 546 332 80 26 68 343 179 3,443 Paraparaumu 71 113 141 150 75 68 78 86 28 56 52 918 Manawatu .. 35 43 47 42 35 3 3 5 34 7 35 19 308 Wanganui .. 40 36 23 29 79 9 20 10 22 3 20 20 311 Patea New Plymouth '276 '222 '309 '247 '317 '287 '234 '252 '258 '321 '399 '405 3,527 Kawhia 75 49 53 56 57 25 30 55 40 21 102 00 023 Raglan 185 81 53 58 160 20 61 28 79 25 134 50 934 Manakau 106 101 107 88 91 42 26 32 131 88 104 70 1,040 Kaipara 337 418 313 223 202 136 162 161 218 313 251 190 2,930 Hokianga 56 44 37 16 8 7 18 20 17 49 58 47 377 South Inland Golden Bay 26 11 33 24 57 12 5 1 9 178 Motueka 572 144 165 82 163 349 332 '243 192 ' 399 '310 187 3,138 Nelson 637 689 1,511 1,149 1,531 870 1,031 1,184 1,347 1,304 1,814 942 14,069 Prench Pass 161 193 321 207 518 199 155 142 207 97 151 91 2,442 Havelock 522 219 252 233 568 286 109 190 125 240 203 190 3,197 Picton 178 200 429 450 474 440 477 220 138 171 340 294 3,817 Blenheim 146 163 48 67 64 378 41 37 178 279 227 05 1,691 Kaikoura 147 238 403 348 352 141 282 40 90 370 344 134 2,895 Lyttelton 704 1,160 887 1,164 1,583 985 1,899 1,329 1,307 1,254 1,782 1 .109 15,223 Akaroa 251 489 409 194 520 224 286 317 304 315 518 190 4,017 Lake Ellesmere 232 210 199 74 85 86 81 85 180 415 503 185 2,335 Timaru 924 1,463 2,002 1,560 2,537 1,118 1,335 1,435 1,503 1,571 2,249 1 .700 19,403 Oamaru 413 466 410 370 538 117 98 108 104 234 201 223 3,402 Moeraki 85 200 347 226 496 104 49 1.42 111 314 180 112 2,372 Karitane 69 85 114 92 43 3 1 0 37 18 468 Port Chalmers 1,460 5,098 4,502 3,099 4,573 1,'994 2,192 2,193 1J371 4,809 8,328 1 ,080 41,359 Taieri Mouth 107 '174 117 158 146 3 1 10 98 200 265 1.279 Nuggets 431 414 377 78 318 34 98 22 155 670 631 029 3,863 Waikawa 450 475 502 304 806 174 110 255 419 789 503 101 4,948 Bluff - Stewart Island 1,566 1,727 3,427 1,569 4,796 529 1,208 1,711 089 090 1,109 170 19,197 Biverton District 99 137 142 28 97 20 6 18 02 75 135 38 857 Hokitika Greymouth .. Westport '548 'i79 ' 560 ' 328 ' 398 171 130 147 '202 'l27 ' 500 ' 68 3 \ 364 367 147 316 189 360 231 139 170 290 204 231 141 2,791 Chatham Islands 314 1,266 933 595 1,409 1,072 530 846 851 7,816 Totals 26,539 36,318 43,578 33,623 45,550 31,658 35,649 36,251 36,301 40,185 47,030 31,221 449,903

TT—l5

Table VI—Showing Quantities of the Main Species of Fish Landed Each Month at Those Ports With a Total Catch of Over 10,000 Cwt.

54

Porl and Kind of Fish. 3 5 ft S ci jj a 53 ft i o 1 > o £ Totals. eg r* a <j 8 l-s >-s < 02 O ft fi A ucMand Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt, Cwt. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt, Cwt. Cwr. Cwt. Cwt, Cwt, Snapper 4,311 6,394 7,651 6,487 7.469 6,707 8,355 9,103 8,201 12,559 9.261 5,764 92,262 Tarakihi 1 .2:5:5 1.362 1 .255 1,515 3.115 2.1 59 1.526 2,418 1 ,936 1,733 1 .729 2,622 22,604 Gurnard 303 314 458 485 547 535 143 562 477 753 594 478 5,949 TrevaUy 399 575 422 379 304 418 504 459 463 629 390 455 5,397 Hapuku 21 30 31 91 1.37 256 245 177 268 194 191 324 1,965 Wellington Tarakihi 2,096 2,700 4,039 2,399 2,658 2,045 1,669 1,820 2,611 1,962 3.591 3,644 31,234 Hapuku 721 686 030 479 1,034 732 1.349 793 952 740 970 858 9,944 Ling 73 132 184 205 460 446 412 387 208 98 194 53 2,852 Moki 9 42 8 14 111 111 117 34 82 508 55 30 1,123 Barracoiita 44 17 59 33 64 105 .28 94 134 92 109 121 1 .000 Port Chalmers Barracouta .. 35(5 1 ,743 971 495 1,719 269 83 195 158 1,356 3.553 129 11,027 Soles 708 1 ,525 1,285 707 974 198 210 267 526 I , 524 1.814 820 10,648 Tarakihi 18 391 827 980 734 756 1,199 ! ,095 276 1.290 1.781 219 9,566 Hapuku 64 235 221 120 251 76 20 20 54 85 188 60 1,394 Red eod 46 362 160 231 282 150 144 92 9 93 25 114 1,708 Napier Tarakihi 823 1 ,362 1,143 1,053 1.033 1,200 1 ,763 1,570 1 ,735 2.293 803 847 15,625 (i urnard 153 531 465 94 90 147 278 243 234 548 474 505 3,762 Sua])p(>r 28 118 68 106 132 110 327 438 578 134 140 2,432 Hapuku 61 68 26 20 138 165 215 "-16 134 177 63 40 1,153 Timaru Hapuku 125 390 569 366 571 123 25 18 64 407 697 408 3,763 Ling 73 219 306 556 1,030 418 328 78 40 127 307 190 3,672 Elephant-fish 170 72 83 50 210 112 129 306 686 309 259 240 2,626 Tarakihi 85 32 15 34 113 70 79 39 138 350 711 589 2,255 G urnard 44 109 253 118 211 144 3 41 479 239 156 85 74 2,253 Flounder 323 346 391 ' 210 183 138 212 298 192 112 53 45 2,503 Soles 61 .170 336 188 178 86 182 182 132 52 27 16 1,610 Bluff - Stewart Island Blue eod 1 ,426 ! . 588 3,051 1,289 4.225 420 1,105 1 .639 515 356 912 144 16,670 Hapuku 81 108 224 137 389 23 16 24 1 16 25 5 .1,049 Soles 20 1 61 91 99 53 54 21 121 246 105 14 886 Thames Snapper 29!) 725 1.235 1.303 941 1,126 1,607 1,922 1,819 222 107 145 11,511 Flounder 762 521 419 211 74 238 15 26 227 859 732 348 4,432 Gurnard 26 31 33 49 118 .161 274 137 77 89 26 1 1,022 LytteUon Tarakihi 166 148 65 576 988 746 1,559 943 730 364 740 444 7,409 Elephant-fish 164 .167 m 95 102 39 96 110 200 576 232 179 2,028 Ling 115 79 90 279 251 146 114 99 90 79 460 195 1,997 Gurnard 47 238 235 79 78 12 68 113 162 105 85 106 1,328 Oisborne Tarakihi 749 900 1 ,088 909 408 845 841 792 520 432 653 660 8,797 Gurnard 36 115 44 19 115 89 128 99 95 260 225 171 1,396 Snapper 95 59 60 53 52 50 49 88 251 217 55 73 1,108 John-dorv 57 54 64 53 32 50 49 87 251 214 53 73 1,037 Mold 56 54 64 53 39 50 49 87 251 215 37 73 1,028 , Nelson Snapper 226 426 854 654 1 ,02(1 522 470 464 3 40 446 622 347 6,391 Gurnard 192 177 497 356 349 264 435 600 836 773 934 355 5,768 Flounder 160 48 78 77 83 45 75 77 108 96 153 141 1,141 Tauranga Tarakihi 386 717 418 730 713 672 863 1,384 1 .366 1,008 .1.187 910 10,354 Snapper 203 182 290 173 143 123 97 70 51 147 59 95 1,633

H—ls

Table VII —Showing the Total Quantity and Value of Fish, Crayfish, and Shell-fish Imported Into New Zealand During the Nine Months Ended 30th September, 1949, and Exported From New Zealand During the Twelve Months Ended 31st December, 1949 Fish Imported

Fish Exported — Frozen

55

Kind of Fish. Quantity. Value. Fish—salted, pickled, dried Fish- —frozen, smoked Fish, canned — Herring, pilchard, sardines, &c. Salmon < )ther kinds Total 266 cwt. 87 cwt. 1,619,536 11). 5,553 11). 55,2401b. £ 5,939 490 182,029 836 7,677 •■• 196,971 Crayfish and Shell-fish Exported Kind of Fish. Quantity. Value. Crayfish, including craytails Mussels Oysters— 'in shell Frozen Total 6,388 cwt. 93 cwt. 1,220 doz. 700 doz. . £ 85,061 475 62 45 85,643

Kind of Fish. Quantity. Value. Barracouta 1,532 cwt. £ 4,908 Blue cod 15,820 cwt. 91,774 Brill .. 79 cwt. 547 Cream fish 9 cwt. 31 Eel 16 cwt. 75 Elephant-fish 71 cwt. 310 Flounder 2,651 cwt. 16,632 Gurnard 3,813 cwt. 20,879 Hake 268 cwt. 1,469 Hapuku 3,802 cwt. 27,001 John-dory 1 cwt. 9 Kahawai 16 cwt. 79 Kelp .. 69 cwt, 403 Ling ,. 2,259 cwt. 9,276 Makerel . [ 1 cwt. 3 • Moki .. . ; 440 cwt. 1,958 Perch .. 75 cwt. 190 Red cod 289 cwt. 1,586 Snapper 4,438 cwt. 29,218 Sole .. 11,033 cwt, 72,198 Tarakihi 10,644 cwt. 69,212 Trevally 919 cwt. 4,458 Trumpeter 4 cwt. 22 White fillets 2,877 cwt. 13,686 Other kinds 241 cwt. 956 Total 61,367 cwt, 366,880

H—ls

Fish Exported — Smoked

Fish Exported — Dried, Pickled, or Salted

Fish and Shell-fish Exported — Preserved in Tins

Table VIII —Return of Land Engineers', Engine-drivers', Electric- and Cabletram Drivers' Examinations for the Year Ended 31st March, 1950

56

Kind of Fish. Quantity. Value. Mixed 726 cwt. £ 5,037

Kind of Fish. i Quantity. Value. Anchovies ()ther kinds Total 234 cwt. 87 cwt. £ 1,474 722 321 cwt. 2,196

Kind of Fish. Quantity. Value. Clam chowder 18,0581b. 655 Crayfish 25,2001b. 4,540 Herring 291 lb. 20 Mussels 5,2571b. 298 Oysters 11,5671b. 2.001 Toheroa 31,1281b. 3,189 Whitebait 10,0641b. 2,210 Other kinds 697,3901b. 43,214 Total 798,9551b. 56,127

Place, Extra First Class. First Class. Locomotive Second Class. and Traction. Locomotive. Traction. P...'. F. P. F. P. F. 1 . 1 F. P. F. P. F. Auckland 8 8 43 10 1 Blenheim 6 Christ-church 4 ' 4 29 3 '. 1 "l Dunedin 2 ■2:', 2 ;} 1 1 1 "l Gisborne 1 2 1 Greymouth " 3 10 : * 3 3 Hamilton .. "l 3 7 1 31 4 I 1 1 Invercargill 3 10 4 1 Napier 1 7 1 "l Nelson "l 2 3 New Plymouth 1 38 16 ! Oamaru 3 Other places 6 1 "l Palmerston North "l "l 19 4 Timaru 8 2 Wanganui .. 2 ' 1 10 "3 '. Wellington .. 5 2 24 7 "l Whangarei .. 1 2 3 37 15 272 60 9 8 1 5 1

H—ls

Table VIII —Return of Land Engineers', Engine-drivers', Electric and Cabletram Drivers' Examinations for the Year Ended 31st March, 1950— continued

Table IX—Summary of Casualties to Ships Reported to the Marine Department During the Year Ended 31st March, 1950

57

Winding. Tram-drivers. Totals. Place. Steam. Electric. Electric. Cable. Grand Total. P. j F. P. j F. P. F. P. F. Passed. Failed. Auckland 46 98 13 Ill Blenheim 6 6 Christchurrh .. "s 43 "7 50 Dunedin 6 1 37 4 41 Gisbome 3 1 4 Greymouth 1 17 6 23 Hamilton 2 43 8 51 Invercargill .. "6 20 4 24 Napier Nelson 9 1 10 6 6 New Plymouth "5 "l 44 "l7 61 Oamarn 3 3 Other places .. 7 "l 8 Palmerston North 20 5 25 Timaru 10 10 Wanganui "2 "l 14 5 19 Wellington 29 5 6 65 14 79 Whangarei 1 1 3 102 7 7 445 87 532

On or Near the Coast of New Zealand. Outside New Zealand. Total Number Reported. Nature of Casualty. Number of Ships. Registered Tonnage. Number of Lives Lost. Number of Ships. Registered Tonnage. Number of Lives Lost. Number of Ships. Registered Tonnage. Number of Lives Lost. Stranding}; Total loss Damaged Undamaged 5 5 5,156 2 '269 7 5 5,156 Total standings 10 9,882 2 269 12 10,151 Collisions Total loss Damaged Undamaged "l5 2 23 "l5 2 23 Total collisions 17 20,799 17 20,799 Fires Total loss Damaged Undamaged 1 1 1 6 9,441 6,243 1 1 1 6 9,441 6,243 Total fires^ 3 15,690 3 15,690 Miscellaneous, including damage by heavy seas, machinery defects, &c. 7 2,595 1 4,453 8 7,048 Grand totals 37 48,966 3 4,722 40 53,688

H—ls

Table X—Summary of Examinations for Certificates as Masters and Mates for the Year Ended 31st March, 1950

Table XI—Summary of Examinations of Marine Engineers for the Year Ended 31st March, 1950

Approximate- Coat of Paper. —Preparation Hot given; printing (746 copies), £195.

By Authority: R. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9so. Price Is. 3d.]

58

Table X—Summary of for Examinations for Certificates the Year Ended 31st March, ! as Masters . 1950 and Mates Class of Certificate. Auckland. Wellington. Totals. Grand p. P.P. F. P. P.P. F. Pass. Partial Pass. Failed. Total. Foreign Going Masters and Mates Home Trade Masters and Mates .. Master of a River Steamer Master of an Oil Engine Vessel under 6 tons register Home Trade Yacht Master Compass Deviation Square Rigged Endorsement Fore and Aft Endorsement 23 9 3 10 6 3 'i 24 12 4 1 i 1 13 6 2 1 47 21 11 4 1 19 8 6 3 1 72 29 10 11 2 1 4 1 Totals 45 9 1 46 18 11 91 27 12 130 Table XI—Summary of Examinations of Marine Engineers for the Year Ended 31st March, 1950 Class of Certificate. Auckland. Wellii gton. Christchurch Dunedin. Other Places. Totals. P. P.P. F P. P.P. F. P. P.P. F. P. P.P. F. P. P.P. F. P. 1 P.P. | F. £ 'o OH Imperial Validity 1st and 2nd Class Steam 1st and 2nd Class Motor 1st and 2nd Class Steam Endorsements 1st and 2nd Class Motor 5 2 2 8 14 18 8 31 1 36 5 2 4 4 9 i l 6 3 25 15 2 6 49 1 62 5 1 136 21 2 6 Endorsements 9 8 14 31 32 41 6 4 9 2 6 3 48 50 67 165 Valid in New Zealand. Only 3rd Class Steam River Steam 1st and 2nd Class Coastal Motor River Oil .. 26 1 10 35 18 3 3 29 12 1 12 1 11 3 1 3 1 8 1 4 1 20 1 6 74 2 26 57 37 1 9 111 3 31 66 72 24 42 13 15 4 9 '4 21 7 159 52 211 Totals 81 8 38 73 32 54 21 4 13 i 11 6 7 21 7 207 50 119 376 Approximate Cost of Paper . —Preparation not given; printing (746 copies), £195. By Authority Price Is. 3d.~] K. E. Owen, Government i Printer, Wellington. 1950.

Table X—Summary of for Examinations for Certificates the Year Ended 31st March, ! as Masters . 1950 and Mates Class of Certificate. Auckland. Wellington. Totals. Grand p. P.P. F. P. P.P. F. Pass. Partial Pass. Failed. Total. Foreign Going Masters and Mates Home Trade Masters and Mates .. Master of a River Steamer Master of an Oil Engine Vessel under 6 tons register Home Trade Yacht Master Compass Deviation Square Rigged Endorsement Fore and Aft Endorsement 23 9 3 10 6 3 'i 24 12 4 1 i 1 13 6 2 1 47 21 11 4 1 19 8 6 3 1 72 29 10 11 2 1 4 1 Totals 45 9 1 46 18 11 91 27 12 130 Table XI—Summary of Examinations of Marine Engineers for the Year Ended 31st March, 1950 Class of Certificate. Auckland. Wellii gton. Christchurch Dunedin. Other Places. Totals. P. P.P. F P. P.P. F. P. P.P. F. P. P.P. F. P. P.P. F. P. 1 P.P. | F. £ 'o OH Imperial Validity 1st and 2nd Class Steam 1st and 2nd Class Motor 1st and 2nd Class Steam Endorsements 1st and 2nd Class Motor 5 2 2 8 14 18 8 31 1 36 5 2 4 4 9 i l 6 3 25 15 2 6 49 1 62 5 1 136 21 2 6 Endorsements 9 8 14 31 32 41 6 4 9 2 6 3 48 50 67 165 Valid in New Zealand. Only 3rd Class Steam River Steam 1st and 2nd Class Coastal Motor River Oil .. 26 1 10 35 18 3 3 29 12 1 12 1 11 3 1 3 1 8 1 4 1 20 1 6 74 2 26 57 37 1 9 111 3 31 66 72 24 42 13 15 4 9 '4 21 7 159 52 211 Totals 81 8 38 73 32 54 21 4 13 i 11 6 7 21 7 207 50 119 376 Approximate Cost of Paper . —Preparation not given; printing (746 copies), £195. By Authority Price Is. 3d.~] K. E. Owen, Government i Printer, Wellington. 1950.