TROUT NETTING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 876, 23 July 1910, Page 13

TROUT NETTING.

AND WHITEBAIT CANNINO. A DEPUTATION. A deputation from the Acclimatisation Societies' Conference yesterday waited upon the Minister for Marine, the Hon. J. A. Millar, being introduced by Mr. J. A. Hanan, M.P. 'Die attention of the Minister was invited to tho following recommendations :— 1. That the Government be asked 7iot to issue any more boat licenses lor fishing with nets on Lakes Elsemero and Forsyth other than those now existing. 2. That the Government be reKommcndcd to continue its efforts to establish Atlantic salmon by importing yearly ■ a quantity of _ ova, and distributing the fry in suitable rivors in the Dominion. 3. That the Government be requested to inquire into the question of the canning of whitebait, to compel the supply of statistics connected with same, and, if required further, to restrict and regulate the taking of whitebait for canning purposes. . \ 4. That the minimum fine on con- ' viotion for breaches of the Fisheries Acts be £3. ' 5. That the Government give more consideration to recommendations from local societies. Deputation's Views. Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp said that the object of tho first remit was not to deprive fishermen now licensed of their Jiving. At the samo time, the deputation desired to pointedly draw the Minister's attention to the fact that a great many trout were being taken. Tho second recommendation was advanced as backing up the activity of the Government with .•' regard to Atlantic salmon. In regard to the third remit (regarding whitebait), it had been at first proposed at the conference that any porson canning whitebait should be oharged a license of £10. It was •felt, however, that sufficient information was not yet available-, although they had heard of some enormous catches. In regard to the fourth proposal (regarding penalties), it was reported that, in many eases, the fines inflicted were ridiculously small. For instance, a man who dynamited fish had been fined £1. It was considered that a £3 minimum would bo in the interests of justice. Minister's Cuardcd Reply. Tho Minister, in replying, stated that the proposals had just been put into his hands. He would endeavour to reply as.they struck him just then. In regard to the first proposal, he gathered that they wanted an Act to close tho lakes named. One had to be very careful, in the present state of feeling, of. action that would reduce tho food supplies of.the people. Ho would take the opinion of his officers and make no definite reply in the meantime. In regard to the Atlantic salmon, the Government hoped this year to get another two million ova! It was hoped that tho fish would rapidly establish themselves in both the East and West Coast Sounds. He would cause inquiry to be made into the question of whitebait canning. Tho advisability of the action recommended was doubtful. No one knew where the whitebait came: from. It was purely a season's fish, and it was a great deal better to can them for food than to lot them return to the sea and be eaten by other fish. He expressed this opinion with some reservation, but did not think restricting' canning would lead to an ine'reasu, in tliu number of whitebait entering iSfcv Zealand rivers. Dynamiting and Penalties. The question of penalties had been considered, but it would bo dangerous to , institute a heavy fine. In Acts dealing with offences inore serious than those under the Fisheries Act a minimum penality of £1 was provided. For dynamiting fish, tho pennlity could scarcely bo too nigh; £100 would not be excessive. But it would be a hardship if a man, who perhaps had neglected to obtain a license during his first day in a district, wore made subject to a penalty of £3. Ho certainly did not approve of the very low fines sometimes inflicted by magistrates for serious offences. In reply to the last remit, the Minister said that while ho always carefully considered recommendations advanced by the societies, it did not follow that he could always agree with them. They might be right from the point of view of tho society, and wrong from that of the public At tho samo timo many tilings on the Statute-book came fromacclimatisation societies, and ho was always glad to carefully considor remits from the conference. Mr. Hanan having thanked the Minister, the deputation withdrew.