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ditioned fish are reported to have been taken. As the essential principle of maintaining any fishery in a healthy condition is to maintain the food-supply of the fish, it is absolutely necessary if the Taupo fishery is to be maintained in good condition that there should be no question of the natural feed being preserved. To do this, large quantities of trout should be taken out before any serious depletion of the natural feed takes place. If this is not done promptly, there is little doubt but what the Taupo fishery will quickly degenerate to the present condition of the Rotorua fishery. To reduce the number of trout in Taupo Lake and utilize them to the best advantage I would recommend netting portions of the lake, and in such a way as not to interfere with angling, and marketing the fish. This should be done by the Department which controls the fishery. As the lake is too far from where the fish can be marketed fresh, it will be necessary to freeze or cure them as soon as caught. Either way there is no doubt that a ready market would be found for them in the different cities. The freezing, curing, and marketing of the fish I consider quite practicable, and this would be the best way of profitably utilizing the surplus fish. The netting should be done thoroughly, and the trout so reduced in number that there would be no question of further depleting the food-supply. In connection with the whole question of the future working of the fisheries in the Rotorua and Taupo districts, I would recommend that the Government should seriously consider the advisability of placing their control and working under the Marine Department. This would seem to be by far the most economical way of having them worked in a skilful manner. To carry out the thorough and drastic measures necessary to restore the Rotorua fishery to a healthy condition requires expert knowdedge and the services of a skilled staff of fishery officials. The Tourist Division, which controls the fishery at present, unfortunately has no one with an expert knowdedge of fisheries, and to provide these would mean a large annual sum. On the other hand, the Marine Department, having a staff of skilled fish-culturists and fishery officers, are already fully equipped to carry out the work with no extra expense to the country as far as salaries are concerned. I have, &c, L. F. Ayson, The Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington. Chief Inspector of Fisheries.

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