H.—ls.

The quantities of the different kinds or classes of fish constituting the grand, total of all wet fish landed for the year, together with their value, are shown below in order of abundance

Snapper still stands well at the head of the list in order of both relative abundance and value. The total catch of this species, however, has diminished by 16,203 cwt., or by 12-2 per cent., in comparison with last year's total, and represents 35-56 per cent, of all the wet fish landed in the Dominion, as against 39-22 per cent, last year. Tarakihi, which comes second in order of abundance, has fallen from 14-51 to 13-8 per cent, of the total catch ; and groper, the third most important species, has decreased by 2,567 cwt., or 8-3 per cent. Another decrease of note occurred with blue cod, which is down by 4,588 cwt. or 16-3 per cent. Improved total yeilds are shown for flounder, 3,439 cwt., or 17-9 per cent. ; gurnard, 3,104 cwt., or 35-3 per cent. ; elephant-fish, 1,267 cwt., or 33-1 per cent, barracouta, 1,047 cwt., or 28-8 per cent. ; and hake, 923 cwt., or 27-4 per cent. With reference to the increase in the total crayfish catch, which no doubt was influenced by the lifting of the restriction on the taking of berried female crayfish in July of last year, the Wellington landings exceeded those of the previous year by 64-7 per cent., Karitane landings improved by 88-8 per cent., and Akaroa by 86-4 per cent. Those at Auckland fell by 32-0 per cent?, while Napier and Moeraki showed a decline respectively of 28-7 per cent, and 4-7 per cent. Method of Capture. Of the -total catch, 39,387 cwt. (-12-0 per cent.) was landed from steam-vessels (principally trawling), motor-vessels accounted for 285,612 cwt. (86-9 per cent.), and row-boats 3,595 cwt. (1-1 per cent.).

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Quantity. Value. Kind or Clasa of Fish. ——— ; —— — : Hundredweight. Percentage of Total. £ Percentage of Total. Snapper .. .. 116,854 35-56 114,221 25-95 Tarakihi .. .. 45,334 13-80 53,103 12-07 Groper.. .. .. 28,283 8-61 57,873 13-14 Blue cod .. .. 23,500 7-15 34,436 7-82 Flounder .. .. 22,611 6-88 57,487 13-05 Sole .. .. .. 14,682 4-47 30,987 7-03 Gurnard .. .. 11,908 3-62 9,908 2-26 Mixed round fish .. 11,671 3-55 11,931 2-71 Ling .. .. .. 8,750 2-66 12,250 2-78 Mixed flat fish .. .. 7,954 2-42 17,944 4-08 Red cod .. .. 6,011 1-83 5,527 1-26 Elephant-fish .. .. 5,089 1-55 6,302 1 • 44 Barracouta .. .. 4,677 1-42 1,856 0-42 Hake .. .. .. 4,297 1-31 7,585 1-72 Mullet .. .. .. 4,099 1-25 4,176 0-95 Moki .. .. .. 2,629 0-80 3,225 0-74 Sardine.. .. .. 1,830 0-56 1,308 0-29 Kingfish .. .. 1,669 0-51 1,592 0-36 Pioke 1,545 0-47 752 0-17 Butterfish .. .. 1,246 0-38 3,021 0-69 Warehou .. .. 1,080 0-33 1,134 0-25 Trevally .. .. 836 0-25 854 0-19 Whiting .. .. 745 0-23 1,248 0-29 Trumpeter .. .. 335 0-10 609 0-13 Kahawai .. .. 257 0-08 . 108 0-02 Garfish .. .. 121 0-04 63 0-02 Whiptail .. .. J12 0.-04 158 0-03 Conger-eel .. .. 96 0-03 46 0-02 John-dory .. .. 77 0-02 119 0-02 Mackerel .. .. 75 0-02 47 0-01 Bonita .. .. .. 69 0-02 159 0-03 Skate .. .. .. 63 0-02 33 0-01 Herring .. .. 42 0-01 58 0-01 Brill .. .. .. 30 0-01 99 0-03 Frost-fish .... 10 .. 11 0-01 Parore ...... 3 Maomao .... 2 ,. 2 Turbot...... 2 .. 4 Totals .. .. 328,594 .. 440,308