H. -15.

The 1932 fishing season, of which the earlier and greater part falls into the last three months of the year under review, has been characterized by fair runs of fish, though water conditions rarely afforded the most favourable circumstances for successful angling. It is impossible to make an estimate of the number of fish caught by the numerous anglers who are allowed to take quinnat salmon (not for sale) by virtue of being holders of trout licenses. The returns made by holders of anglers' quinnatselling licenses are summarized below.

The dates given above for the first and last catches made in each river afford an idea of the period covered by the principal runs. The earliest quinnat catch reported was made on the Kangitata Biver on the 9th January, but the first appreciable " run " did not take place till the 9th February. More than half the total fish caught were taken in the month of March, and fairly good fishing was obtained in April, more especially in the first half of the month. In the Waitaki" River, although the run was apparently the biggest that had ever entered that river, the high and turbid water made angling success almost impossible in the main river, and most of the 200-odd fish taken with rod and line were caught in the later half of the season in the higher reaches and tributaries. The season was most notable in this as in all other rivers for the extraordinary large size of the fish. This will be seen by comparing the average weights of the fish in the summary* given above with those of former years, though the 1931 average sizes were also much higher than usual. The biggest quinnat so far landed by an angler in New Zealand was caught in the Waitaki; weight, 52 lb. Several 40 lb. fish were taken, and catches of 30 lb. wore comparatively common. There was also a remarkable absence of scarred fish, which indicates an absence of their usual marine enemies, probably barracouta judging by the nature and position of the cut which quinnat salmon frequently show, sometimes as a healed scar, and sometimes raw and recent. One other noteworthy fact may be recorded here —namely, the capture of a quinnat smolt, 5| in. long, in the Wanganui River, sixteen miles below Taumarumii. This was taken on a trout fly by Mr. Alex Saddler from a pool which contained a number of similar small fish, apparently on their way down the river, and was sent to the Department for identification. The presence of this fish indicates that adult quinnat had entered the Wanganui River and had spawned successfully, apparently during the winter of 1931. This evidence of the invasion by quinnat of a west coast North Island river which had failed to show any sign of results from a fairly intensive stocking with Atlantic salmon between 1923 and 1929, is perhaps surpassed by the discovery, made on a visit to Whakatane, that in the previous season (March, 1931) a quinnat had been taken by an angler (Mi. Dockray, of Whakatane) in the Tarawera River, which empties into the Bay of Plenty. This fish had been preserved by a taxidermist and was examined by the writer. Any inference as to the migratory range of the species is vitiated in this case by the fact not hitherto revealed, that about fourteen young fish which had been kept in an ornamental pool at Rotorua were liberated in the Tarawera River in 1916. A similar number were put out in the neighbouring Rangitaiki River at the 3—H. 15.

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Males. Females. S °* e^ Ot Totals. Waiau-uha River, 1/3/32 to 30/3/32 (one rod)— Number of fish caught .. . . .. 4 8 , _ \% Weight of fish in pounds . . . . . . 76 147 223 Average weight, in pounds .. .. .. 19-0 18-4 18-6 Hurunui River, 17/2/32 to 1/4/32 (one rod)— Number of fish caught ...... 10 7 17 Weight of fish, in pounds .. .. .. 215 118 333 Average weight, in pounds .. . . .. 21-5 ] 6 • 9 . . 19-6 Waimakariri River, 7/2/32 to 10/4/32 (five rods)—Number of fish caught . . .. .. 37 41 .. 78 Weight of fish, in pounds .. .. .. 586 672 . . ] . 258 Average weight, in pounds .. .. .. 15-8 16-4 16-1 Rakaia River, 12/2/32 to 7/5/32 (eight rods)— Number of fish caught .. . . . . 72 100 9 181 Weight of fish, in pounds .. .. .. 1,187 1,760 180 3,127 Average weight, in pounds .. .. .. 17-6 16-5 20 17-3 Rangitata River, 6/2/32 to 28/2/32 (nineteen rods)- - Number of fish caught .. .. .. 99 92 79 270 Weight of fish, in pounds .. .. .. 1,953 1,833 1,573 5,359 Average weight, in pounds .. . . .. 19-7 19-9 19 • 9 i ] 9 • 8 Waitaki R'iver, 21/3/32 to 29/4/32 (four rods)— Number of fish caught .. .. .. 20 21 8 49 Weight of fish, in pounds .. .. .. 496 417 192 1,105 Average weight, in pounds .. .. .. | 24-8 ! 19-9 24-0 i 23-6 Combined rivers, 6/2/32 to 29/4/32 (thirty-three rods, five of which fished two of the above rivers) — Number of fish caught .. .. .. 242 279 96 607 Weight of fish, in pounds .. .. .. 4,513 4,947 1,945 11,405 Average weight, in pounds .. .. .. 18-6! 17-7 20-3 18-8 ' i i