H.—ls.

Fresh-water Fisheries. Quinnat Salmon. The pound-trap for securing hatchery material from the Hakataramea River run of 1941 was in position on 23rd April and dismantled on 12th May. In the last week in April, 94,000 salmon ova were collected and a further 591,000 in the first twelve days of May, a total of 685,000. A record of losses was kept, which showed a mortality of 26,000 prior to the eyed stage. On applying the usual test for unfertile eggs a further 38,000 were discarded, and the losses in the late embryo stages,'after 70,000 had been taken for consignment to Australia, amounted to approximately 38,000. The count was made by measurement. About 550,000 ova were hatched out, and the fry' were liberated in the Hakataramea in the month of July, about 20,000 being kept for the ponds, of which 3,054 were marked and liberated in January, 1942. 5,897 in February, and the remaining yearlings were liberated in March prior to the closure of hatchery operations for the duration of the war. The run of quinnat in the Hakataramea River continued till August. Late runs of salmon were also reported from the Rakaia and Rangitata rivers. The Westland Acclimatization Society reported that salmon of large size and in considerable numbers were observed in McDonald's Creek in June, 1941 The fishing season of 1942 was marked by unusually early runs in the Canterbury rivers. The first salmon of the season, a fish of 11 lb. weight, was caught in the Waimakariri on 16th November, 1941. Angling conditions were good in the early part of the season, and many fish of good size and condition were taken by anglers in the Waimakariri, Rakaia, Rangitata, and Waitaki, as well as, in the smaller rivers Hurunui, Ashley, Ashburton, and Apiti. Returns of catches made by holders of salmon-selling licenses are summarized below.

Quinnat Salmon, 1942.

Atlantic Salmon. A succession of freshes in the Upukororo River which delayed the completion of the rack was followed by about a month of low-water conditions. A small fresh on 12th May induced the first 19 salmon into the trap and by the end of the month 114 fish, of which 53 were males and 61 females, had been taken. Prom then till the removal of the trap on 27th August the river remained very low for the most part, and few fish were on the move. The catches of salmon were 4 male and 2 females in J line, 2 males only in July, and 4 males and 3 females in August. Many spent fish were observed above the rack in July and August, which must have run during the high river conditions in April. From the 66 females stripped, a total of 144,000 eggs was obtained for the hatchery, the first lot of 24,500 being put down on 4th June and the last batch of 8,000 on 10th September.. The ova were hatched out with very little loss, and all fry were fed in the hatchery boxes for at least two months before liberation. Between 4,000 and 5,000 were reared in ponds to be marked before liberation. (Four hundred and fiftyseven Salvelinus fontinalis were also reared to the yearling stage for the Southland Acclimatization Society.) Reports of the 1941-42 angling season indicate that the stock of Atlantic salmon in the Waiau system has maintained the improvement shown in recent years. Many fish of good condition weighing up to 8 lb. were caught in Lake To Anau, a smaller run of sizes being taken by anglers in the river,

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Males. Females. ft . x no * Totals, given. Returns from Rods. Waimakariri River, 1/3/42 to 7/3/42 (1 rod) — Number of fish caught .. .. .. 4 2 .. 6 Total weight .. .. .. .. 53 lb. 43 lb. .. 96 lb. Average weight .. .. .. .. 13-2 lb. 21-5 lb. .. 16-0 lb. Rakaia River, 9/2/42 to 30/4/42 (3 rods)— Number of fish caught .. .. .. .. 47 31 4 82 Total weight .. .. .. •• .. 807-5 lb. 510-5 lb. 39 1b. 1,357 1b. Average weight .. .. . • • • 17-2 lb. 16-5 lb. 9-7 lb. 16-5 lb. Rangitata River, 6/1/42 to 24/3/42 (6 rods) — Number of fish caught .. .. .. .. 40 41 9 90 Total weight .. . • • • ■ • • • 736*5 lb. 626 lb. 137 lb. 1,499-5 lb. Average weight .. .. 18-4 lb. 15-3 lb. 15-2 lb. 16-7 lb. Opihi River, 25/2/42 to 13/4/42 (2 rods) — Number of fish caught .. .. . . .. 1 ■ ■ 53 54 Total weight .. .. .. .. .. 12-5 lb. .. 883 lb. 895-5 lb. Average weight . . . . .. . ■ 12-5 lb. .. 16-7 lb. 16-6 lb. Combined rivers, 6/1/42 to 30/4/42 (11 rods*) — Number of fish caught .. .. .. . • 92 74 66 232 Total weight . . .. . . ■ • • • 1,609-5 lb. 1,179*5 lb. 1,059 lb. 3,848 lb. Average weight .. .. 17* 5Tb. 15-9 lb. 16-0 lb. 16*6 lb. Returns from Nets. Waimakariri River, 6/2/42 to 24/3/42 (1 net) — Number of fish caught .. .. .. . • 56 69 .. 1.25 Total weight .. .. .. •• 685 1b. 817 1b. .. 1,502 1b. Average weight .. .. .. 12*2 lb. 11*5 lb. .. 1-20 lb. * One rod fished on two rivers during the season.