H.—ls.

The most important increases are blue cod (5,285 cwt., or 23-2 per cent.), gurnard (813 cwt., or 10-2 per cent.), mullet (753 cwt., or 20-3 per cent.), and flounder (702 cwt., or 3-8 per cent.). The class shown in the list as " mixed round fish " amounts to 13,196 cwt., or 3-9 per cent., of the total fish landed. Methods of Capture. Of the total catch, 58,504 cwt. (17*2 per cent.) was landed from steam-vessels (principally trawling), motor-vessels accounted for 276,115 cwt. (81-4 per cent.), and row-boats 4,612 cwt. (1 -4 per cent.). The total fish caught by each of the more important methods of fishing is shown in the following analysis :—

Comparing the quantities taken by each method with those for the year 1938-39 it will be seen that trawl-caught, fish declined from 119,873 cwt. to 94,765 cwt. and long- and hand-line catches from 87,172 cwt. to 85,808 cwt., while Danish seine-caught fish increased from 119,933 cwt. to 126,702 cwt and set-net and seine catches from 29,136 cwt. to 31,956 cwt. Two-thirds of the trawl catch was made up of tarakihi, sole, snapper, and gurnard, the respective percentages being 4] -6, 13-6, 5-6, and 4-6. Of the Danish-seine catch 78-4 per cent, consisted of snapper, while tarakihi formed 7-3 per cent. ' Snapper, flounder, and mullet were the principal species in the set- and drag-net landings' contributing together 83-7 per cent, oi the total landed, while groper, blue cod, and snapper headed the line catches, the percentages being 33-5, 32-7, and 14-5 respectively. A statement in tabulated form follows showing the total quantity and percentage of wet fish landed during each month of the year. It will be noted that the proportion of Danish-seine-caught fish increased considerably in July, August, and September, and reached a peak in October, when the percentage was 47-31 (almost half the total quantity of fish landed during that month). With regard to the monthly totals, it will be seen that the most productive months were August, October, April, May, and September, while the months of least fishing activity were January, December, March, July, and February.

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Quantity. Value. Method of Pishing. — Hundredweight. Percentage of Total. £ Percentage of Total. Trawl .. .. .. 94,765 27-9 116,334 27-9 Danish seine .. .. 126,702 37-3 132,516 31-8 Long-and hand-lines .. 85,808 25-4 119,896 28-8 Set-nets and drag-nets or 31,956 9-4 47,734 11-5 seines Totals .. .. 339,231 .. 416,480

Long- and Hand-line, Trawl. Danish-seine. Set and Drag Net or Total. Seine. Month. Hundred- Percent- Hundred- Percent- Hundred- Percent- Hundred- Percentweight. age. weight. age. weight. age. weight. age. April 10,701 34-70 7,055 22-87 13,092 42-43 30,848 9-1 May 11,025 35-64 8,355 27-01 11,553 37-35 30,933 9-1 June 7,384 25-06 10,337 35-09 11,742 39-85 29,463 8-6 July •• •• 6,827 26-76 10,451 40-97 8,233 32-27 25,511 7-5 Au gust .. .. 8,798 24-76 16,383 46-11 10,348 29-13 35,529 10-5 September .. .. 6,998 22-84 14,391 46-96 9,255 30-20 30 644 9-0 Octobex .. .. 7,244 22-36 15,328 47-31 9,824 30-33 32*396 9-6 November .. .. 7,705 25-91 11,694 39-32 10,340 34-77 29 739 8-8 December .. .. 7,701 32-88 8,784 37-51 6,935 29-61 23 420 6-9 January .. .. 5,348 27-45 7,502 38-51 6,633 34-04 19,483 5-8 February .. .. 7,384 28-65 9,147 35-50 9,237 35-85 25 768 7-6 March.. .. .. 7,650 30-00 7,275 28-53 10,572 41-47 25'497 7-5 Tot al .. .. 94,765 27-9 126,702 37-3 117,764 34-8 339,231