THE FISHING INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1051, 14 February 1911, Page 3

THE FISHING INDUSTRY

INTERESTING SUGGESTIONS. ' Among the visitors to' Wellington isCaptain 11. llighman, who arrived from England by the Tongarinf on Saturday evening. Captain llighman was not unknown on the Now Zealand coast, sonte twenty years ago. lie was Iheu secretary of the Master Mariners' and Officers' Association, which took a' hand in the big maritimo strike of 1890. ' Since then ho was a year or two with-Royal Naval Reserve, and for'the last'seventeen years has been nautical adviser and examiner for-the Fisheries'-'. Department of i tho County Council, Lancashire.. . , /"This," Contain llighman explained, "is tho controlling body under whose bylaws the fishing is conducted.. lers arc all privately owned, but they are handled under sf/ict supervision, and uiiist rigidly obey the by : laws. "There are about 280 steam trawlers sailing out of Fleetwood, which supply not. only the greater part of the North of England, but send large supplies to Billingsgate (London). Tho fishermen are, for instance, forbidden to trawl . within three miles of tho coast—the breeding ground of deep-water -fish—and anyone caught, taking fish, even . matured fish, within the three miles limit is very, severely dealt with. . . "The trawlers are usually about 150 ft. Jong,- up to 26ft. beam, and have a carrying capacity of about EWO boxes of fish. At limes they go as far as 150 and 300 miles away,'from-port-..to'-make a satisfactory trawl. - "It's a great wonder that more attention is not paid to the fishing industry in these waters than ,is tho case. : There used to be any amount 'of fish in T ew Zealand, and yet-tho peoplo'say they don't get enough fish. It only wants attending to on practical, lines, and it would soon repay anyrreasouable. outlay. , It is an industry c'ohtmbn to every country, yet one that has not/lieon taken up earnestly out here. The Government should pay some attention to tho matter. "What is required to be done is for capable,men to make a survey of the ocean beds off the coas,t, and by.locating the feed beds they cQiild locate, the fish, and all would be easy.- The-whole, of New Zealand could, be supplied with about three-trawlers (if tho fish were netted in the quantities they are,6ff the English coast), and with the,advance of railway transit all New Zealand could bo supplied from a point of common vantage—say, Wellington. The big essentials in connection with«the industry is the establishment of a fitting-shop; (for tho repair of engines, winches, and trawling gear, which are frequently damaged.in tho battle with the elements), tho provision of a liberal supply of ice to keep tho fish fresh, and a good system of distribution. '.' ■ „ : "Another industry which could easily be further developed is tho Stewart Island oyster supply. .With such great beds it is a wonder a canning. factory has not been started long ago: Of 'course, the Iwds should not be dredged to a point of decimation. Tho " spot should be - well looked after, and difierent areas. dredged .each year." ' > i In 18S3, when Captain Highman was an officer of the Kaikoura, the first consign-; ment of salmon ova was brought to New Zealand. - He was surprised to' learn that, though many consignments Imd been liberated the true salmon had not developed in our streams.- lie could not think' that tho rivers of New' Zealand were'not adapted to salmon,. and concluded that, .when young they had ■• fallen: sharks or other voracious fishes in the estuaries. Even-.this, he imagined,.could 'bo'averted-by baulking^or-netting small rivers near the mouth, so that the salmon could not get out, and their enemies could not get up. -