Page image

H.—lsa

we got on to sand, and the net was put down at 8.20 a.m., and towed across the opening of the river (N. by E.) until abreast of the North Head, where we got on to rough bottom, and the net was taken up in 4 fathoms after towing three-quarters of an hour. The result of this haul was very poor, giving only a few flat-fish and red-cod. In towing we went into 2 fathoms, getting good bottom, but outside of 4 fathoms got on to gravel. Forty-seventh Haul.- —Prom the Waitaki returned to the S.E. of Oamaru Bluff, and prospected between the reefs that exist in that locality. The net was put down at 10.40 a.m. in 10 fathoms, bearing S.E. from Cape Wanbrow, and distant four miles and a half. Towed S.E. -J- S. for threequarters of an hour, and picked up in 12 fathoms off a sand bottom. This haul only yielded 1 ling, 1 moki, 3 blue-cod, 1 tarakihi, and 13 megrims. Forty-eighth Haul. —Steamed twenty-five minutes into 14 fathoms, and put down the net on a sand-and-shell bottom at 1 p.m. Towed S.E. JE. for an hour, and hauled up in 15 fathoms. The result again very poor, the net containing only 2 ling and a few skate. Forty-ninth Haul. —Prom station 48 steamed N.W. seventy-five minutes, and put over the net in 10 fathoms, on a sand bottom, at 3.15 p.m., abreast of the Kakanui Biver, and distant four miles and a half. Towed an hour, and picked up off a rough bottom, the net badly torn. Result, nil. Fiftieth Haul. —Went out from Oamaru at 6.30 a.m. on the 2nd April; steered a course due east for two hours into 28 fathoms; bottom sand and shell. The net was lowered for the first time at 8.45 a.m., and towed E. by S. for an hour and forty minutes, and picked up in 33 fathoms. Eesult poor, only 10 megrims, a number of small tiger-sharks, and a large quantity of shells, starfish, and weeds. Fifty-first Haul. —Shot the net again in 35 fathoms on a sand-and-shell bottom; time 10.40 a.m. Towed S. by E. -J E., and picked up in 46 fathoms off sand and mud. Eesult again poor, only 12 megrims, 4 tarakihi, and a quantity of shells. After picking up steamed W.S.W. for an hour; sounded in 61 fathoms on sand and shell, but owing a choppy sea getting up the net was not put over. Soundings were made at stations 43, 42, and 41 on the return to Oamaru. Fifty-second Haul. —On the 3rd April we left Oamaru at 8.10 a.m. to prospect off the coast south of Oamaru. The lead showed a rough bottom until All Day's Bay was reached. The net was put down on a sand bottom, in 5 fathoms, at 10 a.m. Towed for forty minutes, and picked up off a stony bottom in 3 fathoms. The net contained 16 soles, 1 lemon-sole, 1 turbot, 1 flounder, and a number of skate and dog-fish. Fifty-third Haul. —Went out into 13 fathoms, and put down the net at 11.30 a.m.; bottom coarse sand. Towed N. fW. for an hour, and hauled up in 12 fathoms. The only fish taken in this haul were a few lemon-soles, 3 Macrurus australis, and skate. Fifty-fourth Haul. —Went out from Oamaru on the morning of the sth April at 5.30 a.m. to work south of Otago Heads. Tested the bottom at various depths, and got bad bottom until abreast of Moeraki Heads, when soundings showed sand and shell. The net was put over in 18 fathoms at 8.15 a.m. Towed S. JW. for half an hour, when the net got foul, and was picked up badly damaged, the foot-rope broken, wings torn from the ropes, and a large piece of the body of the net carried away. Fifty-fifth Haul. —Continuing south from station 54, soundings showed rough bottom until abreast of Ahuriri Eock; getting on to sand the net was put down at 1.50 p.m. Towed S. fW. for an hour and hauled up in 13 fathoms off sand. This haul yielded 32 lemon-soles, 4 gurnard, 6 megrims, 4 sea-perch, 150 red-cod, and a number of skate and elephant-fish. As weather threatening we went in to Port Chalmers for the night. Fifty-sixth Haul. —As the weather was unfavourable for working on the 6th the net damaged off Moeraki was repaired. Went out from Port Chalmers at 8.50 a.m. on the 7th April. Professor Benham, Messrs. G. M. Thomson and Hamilton, members of the Otago Institute, accompanying the expedition for the day. After passing Taiaroa Head steered a course due east into 12 fathoms, and put down the net on a soft-sand bottom at 10.25 a.m. Towed for thirty-five minutes, and hauled up in 16 fathoms at 11 o'clock, the net containing 4 soles, 7 lemon-soles, 2 ling, and 50 red-cod. Fifty-seventh Haul. —Steamed E. from station 56 for half an hour, and shot the net on a sand-and-shell bottom in 35 fathoms. Towed for thirty-five minutes N., and hauled the trawl up in 31 fathoms. The net contained only a variety of crabs, crustaceans, and a few soles. Fifty-eighth Haul. —Steamed out from station 57 into 48 fathoms, and shot the net at 1.25 p.m. on a sand-and-shell bottom. Towed N.W. by N. \N. for an hour, and hauled up in 41 fathoms. The net contained no market fish, but a collection of crabs, shells, and sea-weed. Fifty-ninth Haul. —Altered the course from station 58 to N.W. by W., and steamed into 27 fathoms, where the dredge was put down and towed for fifteen minutes. Steamed towards Taiaroa Head, and shot the net in 14 fathoms at 4.5 p.m.; bottom soft sand. Towed S. W. \W. for half an hour, and hauled up in 12 fathoms. The fish taken were 3 barracouta, 10 lemon-soles, 2 soles, and 1 lmg. After landing members of the Otago Institute at Port Chalmers returned to near Taiaroa Head, and anchored for the night. Sixtieth Haul. —Left anchorage at 7 a.m. on the Bth April. After passing Taiaroa Head steered a course N.N.E. for an hour and a quarter, and put down the net at 9.5 a.m., in 18 fathoms, on sand. Towed N. \E. for an hour and a quarter, and picked up in 20 fathoms. The fish taken were 20 lemon-soles, 25 tarakihi, 1 ling, 3 gurnard, 1 king-fish, and a number of dog-fish, tigersharks, elephant-fish, and octopi. Sixty-first Haul. —Went north from station 60 to explore Kartiki Bay. Using the lead off Shag Point we*got an uneven bottom; getting sand to the north end of the bay the net was put down in 6 fathoms at 12.25 p.m. Towed for twenty minutes, and got foul of a snag. When hauled up the net was full of kelp, and a piece of rock quite 200 lb. in weight. Soundings over the bay showed patches of sand and rocks.

7

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert