H—ls

Legislation The general fishery regulations were consolidated and revised during the year. The previous regulations had been in force since 1939 and had been amended so frequently that a consolidation had become an urgent necessity. The Whitebait Regulations, last issued as a whole in 1932, were also consolidated and revised for the same reason. The 1947 Whitebait Regulations aimed at not only consolidation, but at a much needed simplification of a set of regulations so pieced together over the years that the final result was too detailed and involved for practical use. Staff As has been the case over the last four years, staffing has been a major problem. A gradual reorganization of the staff is taking place with a view to having a better balanced and more highly qualified staff. M. W. Young, Chief Inspector of Fisheries. MARINE FISH HATCHERY AND BIOLOGICAL STATION, PORTOBELLO Sir, — I have the honour to present the report of the Portobello Marine Biological Station for the year ended March, 1948. The difficulties of the times which prevented the Board's plans for the repairs, structural alterations, and additions required for improving and enlarging the laboratory accommodation, as mentioned in last year's report, have unfortunately continued into the present year and the station can still only provide the minimal facilities for the carrying-out of marine biological research, which is, and should be, the most important of the services by which this Station justifies its existence. The laboratory is ideally situated for marine biological research so far as natural environment is concerned, but its material structure and equipment fall very short of what is desirable at the present time. However, the Station has been regularly used during the year at week-ends and vacations by the Zoology Department staff and students of Otago University and by other visitors. It has again been utilized by members of the staff of the Zoology Department of Canterbury College who visited Portobello during the summer to collect specimens and to make observations of the local marine fauna. Among the principal researches conducted at Portobello have been a study of the embryology of the compound ascidian Distaplia by Miss Brewin and an investigation of the biology of Benhamina obliqua, principally anatomy and embryology, by Miss Borland. Miss Richards has worked on the anatomy and food of the brachiopod Terebratella ineonspicua, and Miss di Menna on the anatomy and ecology of Trochodota dunedinensis, a synaptid holothurian. The pipes for the supply of sea-water to the aquarium tanks, which had become very dilapidated and unsafe, have been renewed,, but progress in the restocking of the tanks with sea fish has been disappointing, owing mainly to lack of fishing equipment.. At present there is no means of keeping the acquarium water at a suitable and safe temperature for sea fish during severe winter frosts. The pump, which had been in use for forty years, broke down in March, and the worn-out parts had to be replaced. A row-boat was purchased during the year.

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