H.—ls.

The following statement gives the estimated total quantity and value of the various classes of sea-products marketed during the year : — Quantity. Value. Wet fish .. .. .. .. .. . „ 331,415 cwt. 294,267 Whitebait.. .. .. .. .. .. 3,241 cwt. 21,944 Dredge oysters .. .. .. .. .. 52,254 sacks 27,486 Rock oysters .. .. .. .. .. 5,270 sacks 6,060 Mussels .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,152 sacks 1,432 Crayfish .. .. .. . . .. .. 6,894 cwt. 4,320 Toheroa (canned products) .. ... .. .. 1,712 cases 5,825 Whale oil .. .. .. .. .. 260 tons 3,260 Quinnat salmon (netted fish only) .. .. .. 5,835 Ib. 255 Total value .. •.. .. .. .. £364,849 Compared with the returns of the previous year an increase is shown for every class of product with the exception of crayfish and quinnat salmon. The estimated total quantity of wet fish (ordinary sea-fish) landed is 331,415 cwt., compared with 313,319 cwt. for the preceding year, an increase that is only due to a slight degree to the inclusion of returns from the French Pass, not obtained in former years, which account for an addition of approximately 1,200 cwt. to the grand total. Considering the returns for the main fishing ports, Auckland, in respect of which the figures may be regarded as approximating more nearly to accuracy than in most other cases, shows an appreciable increase. The total landings of wet fish and of the two principal kinds (snapper and flounder) for the last five years have been as follows : —

It will be seen that snapper supplies have been maintained and indeed raised to the highest figure shown for the last five years, but with regard to flounders there has been a decided falling away from the high total reached in 1932-33. There is no point, with the available data, in attempting any further quantitative analysis of these returns. Attention may be drawn to the fact that the Auckland Danish-seining fleet, from which the greater part of its fish-supplies are landed, has been considerably increased not only in number, but also in the tonnage, power, and fishing efficiency of individual vessels. This year the Danish-seiners at Auckland numbered thirty-nine vessels, of which thirty-seven were occupied for the whole time. In the preceding year the fleet numbered thirty-eight, but only thirty-one were engaged continuously in fishing. The more distant fishing-grounds, especially those in the outer part of the Hauraki Gulf, between Cape Colville and Great Barrier Island, and in the Bay of Plenty, have been increasingly exploited. These distant grounds have been the source from which the extra supplies of snapper have been derived. The nearer grounds in the Hauraki Gulf have yielded but moderate catches on the average. The seiners which specialize in flounder fishing have operated for the most part in the vicinity of the " Dab Patch " (about half-way between Ponui and Coromandel). It is clear from the diminished average catch per haul that the stocks on these grounds have not maintained their former abundance, and the question of their due conservation has become a matter of some concern to the Department as well as to the fishermen. The closure of the portion of the Gulf at the entrance to Thames Firth, which contains the principal spawning-grounds, was prescribed for the period 15th August to 16th September in order to prevent the heavy drain to which the spawning aggregations of flounders and dabs have recently become subject at this season. Observations reported by the Inspector of Fisheries at Coromandel showed that the main spawning of flounders took place in the month of August, but principally in the first half of this month, and that dabs spawned from towards the end of August to the middle of September. Two steam-trawlers operated from the Port of Auckland during the year. No trawling took place during the month of January, 1935, and one trawler was in commission for only three months out of the twelve. The whole year's operations may be estimated as equivalent to the work of one trawler fishing for thirteen months —a slight increase on last year. The trawling-grounds most visited were those of the Bay of Plenty and those off East Cape. The landings consisted of decidedly fewer snapper and rather more tarakihi than in the preceding year. Only one landing of sardines was made during the year, amounting to 550 lb. of fish. The development of this industry still hangs fire, but the causes of this would appear to be connected with the commercial problems as to treatment and distribution of material rather than with fishing possibilities. At Thames the industry has maintained its level so far as quantitative production is concerned, but as elsewhere the year's trade was not satisfactory owing to low prices and difficulties of marketing. The Napier fleet, consisting of ten small trawlers and. one Danish-seining vessel with seven net and line fishing launches, has brought in a slightly increased total of fish compared with last year's

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1930-31. 1931-32. 1932-33. 1933-34. 1934-35. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. .. .. 104,098 83,753 82,758 91,512 102,313 Snapper .. .. .. 59,223 43,102 49,657 60,540 68,432 Flounder (including dabs) .. .. 2,549 4,201 10,452 6,607 6,550