THE CRUISE OF THE NORA NIVEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 48, 20 November 1907, Page 8

THE CRUISE OF THE NORA NIVEN.

EXPERIMENTAL TRAWLING,

.WHERE THE BEST GROUNDS' ARE. 'An interim report on tho experimental fcrawling'and fishing cruiso of tho Nora Niven was presented to Parliament yesterday. Mr.' L. F. Ayson, Chief. Inspector of Fisheries, in a general report on tho cruise, states that, on account of tho very large amount of ground which tho Marine Department instructed should be tested during: the three months' charter (about 1000 miles of coast from Stewart Island to Mercury Islands, besides working tho Chathams), it was impossible to thoroughly test each section, or to go far in search of off-shore .tanks. The vessel fished on 48 days, towed 'the trawl net 514 miles, and made 106 hauls.- . rho depth of water in which the hauls were made varied from 4 to 120 fathoms, and, as a rule, li hour hauls wero made. About r 100" soundings wctc taken. The range of depth in which the greatest variety of fish- • life was found to.oxist was from inshore out ,to 30 fathoms, and no'flat fish of any value wero taken beyond that depth. Those roBults correspond with those obtained dur- ; ing the cruise of the Doto in 1900 and 1901. Hapuka, kingfish, and ling wero takon at , any depth out to and ovor 100 fathoms, and ,-f tarakihi and schnapper wore frequently obtained in large quantities out to 60 fathoms, I and on one occasion .in 100 fathoms. (■ ■■.;.• WDJTER FISHING. '/'■' With regard !to the winter habitat of flat fish, on which tho cruise was expected to » throw some light, no flat fish.of any value '' were obtained beyond the ■ depths at which thoy were takon at other seasons, and no offshore banks were found to exist within the 100 fathom line. Beyond that all the soundings showed a sudden drop to groat depths. It is probable that the disappear--1 ance of flounders and soles of the Icnown fishing grounds at certain seasons is duo to y weather and temperature conditions and spawning habits, and that, Tike the soles and plaice of the Northern Hemisphere, they I partly bury themselves in tho sand on the bottom. In the North Sea trawlers at certain seasons put on a chain instoad of a 1 foot-rope, so as to move them put of the sand and mud. The value of a fish supply 1 can only bo accurately tested by having the locality fished in different seasons, so that .areas mentioned in this report as showing good trawling/bottom, .but only a moderate! or poor supply of fish, might be prolific at other times. In; prospecting new fishing grounds, the work has to bo carried out in quite a different manner .from that of a vessel fishing for market, and the results cannot be judged,by tho quantity of fish ob.tained. The total quantity of fish brought ,in by the Nora Niven during her three ,j months' cruise was 46,7501b5. ''•■.-. A GENERAL RESULTS. ■| Mr. Ayson considers that tho practical resuits and information obtained will prove of '■' great valuo to the fishing industry, while, the . .very large areas of splendid trawling bottom discovered off different parts qi. the coast, the extensive trawling grounds discovered in the Bay of Plenty, teeming with schnapperj tarakihi, and other fish, and the very satisfactory rosults of lino fishing and trawling : at the Chathams, more than justifies the expenditure on tho expedition. Tho negative results in certain localities'will also bo- of . considerable value. Tho cruise will'have tho result of causing more capital and energy to be put into the fishing industry. Already a new-trawling and fishing company,: with a capital of £20,000, is being floated in Dun-', edin, and two now trawlers .of the most modern type: havo been ordered from England for.two other firm.s. It is also under- . stood, that one of the largest firms in the trado intends commencing operations on an extensive scale at the Chatham Islands. STEWART ISLAND AND OTAGO HEADS. A very largo extent of good trawling bottom exists to the east of Stewart Island, but the quantity and variety offish taken there wero rather poor, consisting of ling, hapuka, and. kiugfish. From Waipapapa Point to Nugget Point out {to. 10 fathoms tho/supply was unsatisfactory. Good results we're ob- . tamed in Molynoux Bay. From Molyneux Bay to Capo Saunders a considerable extent of good trawling bottom was found, and a fair supply ofmarket fish was taken. From Cape Saunders to about 18 miles due north ,of Otago Heads good bottom was found out to 102 fathoms. Tarakihi 'was the principal fish taken from 25 to 60 fathoms, and ling and kingfish were taken out to 102 fathoms. Ihe best trawling grounds. off the Otago Coast extend from Cape Saunders to some distance west and north of Otago Heads! and) from inshore out to about 30 fathoms. These grounds have been considerably worked by trawlers from Port Chalmers.

OTAGO TO LYTTELTON. No attempt was made to' test the wellknown grounds off Otago Heads and in Blueskin Bay. Almost, every haul between Otago and Lyttelton insido about 40 fathoms, revealed a great variety of fish. The Canterbury Bight consists of a vast extent of ideal trawling ground. Mr. Andertoii who took charge of the work from Dunedm onwards, recommends that a closer survey be made in the summor. He feels confident that bore will bo found the finest trawling ground in I New, Zealand, and some of tho richest fishing > grounds. Having such convenient ports of shelter as Oamaru, Timaru, and Akaroa,' and being , , within easy reach of the chief centres . by rail and steamer, increases its claim to . rurther investigation. LYTTELTON TO WELLINGTON. ■ • Pegasus.Bay, being frequently worked bv [ iLyttelton trawlers, wus not prospected. North ' of Bank's Peninsula, in the shallower water, the hauls consisted mostly of unsaleable fish. OMounders were taken up to 20 fathoms, beyond which the chief edible fish were tornkilu and gurnard. Tho whole ground from JUotewau Island ■to Cape' Campbell is in all probability unsuitable for trawling To the north-west of Cape Campbell vory few I flat fish wero taken, but tarakihi werq plenti- ;■ ful. No hauls wore made further in Cloudy Bay, as this is boing worked. Very fow . edible fish were found in and it I; is extremely unlikely that any stretch of •J trawling ground exists to the south-east of /;Uape Terawhiti. . \. WELLINGTON TO NAPIER. . •■, Good trawling ground.was found towards , tho centre and east side of Palliser Bay. i rospects on tho cast sido of the bay appear very good. Between' Castlepoint and Capo Kidnappers common and lemon soles red cod, schiiappor, and tarakihi were taken at every haul, and might.be expected in payablo quantities, but the trawling area is narrow. Jhe richest portion appears, to bo between 'iJaro island and Capo Kidnappers, where the prospects are good, onco tho foul ground has been located. ...; . NAPIER TO EAST CAPE. Fine hauls were mado between Capo Kidi nappers and Poverty Bay, producing considerable gnantitios of tarakihi, also sohnpp- ■ per and kmgfish, but no ..flat fish. No trawlvmg. was dono inside of a line drawn from Portland Island to Capo Kidnappers. A con- ,. siuorabio area of trawling ground, about W sight miles in width, extends from about \ six miles north of Table Capo to Poverty bay, soles, gurnard, tarakihi, schnapper, and •red cod being taken on this ground in con-' ■ siderable quantities. Owing to a galo, no -trawling was dono between Aerial Roof and . East Capo, but tho soundings indicate an » even depth and a mud bottom, and Mr. Anderton recommends the owners of trawlers ■from Napier to try this portion for schnappor and tarakihi. ■■-. EAST CAPE TO AUCKLAND. i In the eastern portion of tho Bay of Plenty a large numbor of tarakilii ami Bchnapper woro taken, also John dory, kingiish, hapuka, and soles. The largest bags of schnanpor and kingfioh were taken at about ' thirty fathoms, at which depth upwards of a ton of fish can bo taken in an hour. Vory fow unsaleable fish woro taken in that region. Good results may bo obtained to the north-west of Tamanga iu certain seaEons. CHATHAM ISLANDS. 1 A vory considerable area of good trawling ' ground was fonnd at tho Chathams. Lame ' catches of blue cod and hapnka were mado with lines. Tho kinds of fish taken with ' the trawler wero somowhat similar, depth for depth, to those taken on the east coast .of the South Isbmd. It is extremely prob- , able that the Cbathams wilL,_ in the near future, becomo ono of the chief sources of our fish supply.