Ban On River Mouth Trawling Wanted

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31111, 14 July 1966, Page 16

Ban On River Mouth Trawling Wanted

The prohibition of trawling and netting in the areas where salmon congregate along the east coast during the spawning season was discussed by the council of the North Canterbury Aclimatisation Society last evening.

The fish committee had asked that a remit recommending such a prohibition from November to April should be forwarded to the South Island Council of Acclimatisation Societies. The Marine Department had advised that apart from a restriction of trawling between the Waimakariri river mouth and Akaroa harbour there was no other restriction on the east coast of the South Island as far as the Otago harbour. “We cannot stop netting; it is the trawling we have to stop,” said Mr N. I. Voyce. It was decided the society should ask for the limit to be extended from Hurunui to Rakaia and further if other societies agreed. A request had been made

to the Marine Department that the netting of herrings in the Rakaia lagoon be prohibited. The department’s reply had indicated the area could be controlled by the society, with action taken against any fishermen removing trout. Netting limits had been removed from the regulations some years ago, but because many trout were being killed in the smallmesh nets used by herring fishermen, and as the society had recently released 7000 young trout in the area, the committee considered the department should be asked to reinstate the regulations in the area. It was decided to alter the request to ask for the banning of netting north of Boat creek.