15

H.—ls

Wanganui. —The Collector of Customs reports that little progress has been made in the industry during the year, and conditions remain unfavourable for its development, owing principally to the bar harbour, which is dangerous for small boats. Foxton. —Whitebait was fairly plentiful during the season. The catches of other market fish were about the average of other seasons. Wellington. —Good catches were made by the trawlers on the usual trawling-grounds, particularly during the spring and summer months. The line and net fishermen, who work the grounds on the west coast and off Kapiti and Mana Islands, have had a fairly good season. The fishermen from Island Bay, who work the Cook Strait grounds and east coast as far as Cape Palliser, have lost a good deal of time on account of the easterly and south-easterly winds. They complain that groper is scarce on some of the old grounds, but, on the whole, they have had a fairly good season. The return shows an increase on the quantity and value of fish marketed during the year. Picton.— The quantity of fish taken was about equal to that of previous years. New grounds have been discovered by the fishermen, and large catches of hapuku have been taken. The number of humpback whales taken during the last season was seventeen, yielding 106 tons of oil. Blenheim. —Fishermen have experienced a season well above the average as regards flat fish, especially during the last three or four months. As regards blue cod, groper, red cod, and snapper, the quantities caught on some of the old grounds were not satisfactory, and fishermen have had to. seek for them at greater distances from the home port. Nelson. —Fish were somewhat scarce on the usual fishing-grounds during the winter months, but were plentiful from November to the end of March, and good catches were made by netting and lining, and also by the launches, which have lately been fitted with trawl-nets. Westport. —The whitebait season has been a very good one, but the supply of other kinds of fish has boon only fair. Grey mouth--The run of whitebait last season was above average ; large catches were made as a rule, and big money earned. Although the quantity of other fish caught during the year shows an increase on the two previous years, yet the quantity is small in comparison to the extent of fishing-grounds available along the coast. The bar harbour is a great hindrance to the industry, as it is only occasionally that small vessels are able to get out. Hokitika. —The past season has been a very good one for whitebait; large catches were made by fishermen, and good money earned. The Inspector reports that the quantity caught amounted to 640 cwt. Kaikoura— Fish wens plentiful on the usual fishing-grounds, but a succession of heavy easterly weather prevented fishermen from getting out, and the result is that the catch for the year was considerably less than in 1922-23. Rangiora. —The local Inspector reports that the fishing in his district has been very poor throughout the year. There was a fair run of whitebait, but all other fish were scarce. Kaiapoi. —The fishermen have experienced a good season for whitebait, and fishermen earned good money. Fair quantities of flounders and other fish were taken in the estuary of the Waimakariri. Southbridge. —The fishermen have experienced a fair season, flounders being more plentiful in the lake, than during the previous year, and the catch shows an increase. Lyttelton. —The quantities of flounders caught have been more than last year, but there has been a decroaso in the quantity of other fish. Akaroa. —The Inspector reports that the fishing industry in his district is in a very good way, and the local fishermen have done well. Timaru. —The past year has been a good one for groper, and practically all the boats have engaged in this class of fishing. Only three are at present trawling. Flat fish have not been nearly so plentiful as is usual, and this fact, together with the increased price of benzine, of which much more is consumed in trawling, has operated to induce, fishermen to adopt line fishing. Oamaru. —The Collector reports that the fishery has had a somewhat varied experience during the past twelve months, the first part of the year being exceptionally poor, when fish of all kinds were scarce, and the weather conditions so unfavourable that the boats were frequently unable, to put to sea during several days in the week. During the latter part of the. year, however, matters improved, and the success of the last three months or so compensated the men to a large extent for the previous loss. Moeraki. —Weather conditions in the early part of the year were unfavourable, and poor catches were made by fishermen. During the last six months of the year matters improved—fish were more plentiful, and good catches were made. Otcujo District. —For the greater part of the year groper and ling were, scarce. Fair quantities of kingfish were taken during the months of November and December : these, fish met with ready sale, and almost without exception brought high prices. Barracouta have frequented the Otago coast in large quantities during the season. Taking the whole year into consideration, the fishermen have done fairly well. The Puketeraki fishermen have taken large catches of crayfish, and report a good season. The Owaka fishermen report good catches of flounders and mullet for the season. Invercargill. —The fishing-grounds for the year have been well supplied, the various classes of fish being fairly plentiful, and the quality of the fish caught has been all that could be desired. The past season for whitebait was most successful as far as the fishermen were concerned, as a large run came up the different estuaries. Bluff.-— Fishermen have experienced a good season. Blue cod and other market fish were plentiful, and good catches wore the rule. Oysters were plentiful in the Foveaux Strait bed, and in splendid condition, the catch for the season showing an increase of over 1,000 sacks on the previous year.