ROTORUA FISHERIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1805, 18 July 1913, Page 5

ROTORUA FISHERIES.

CONTROL REFORM SUGGESTED. The widely-expressed desire for a change in tho present system of control of the trout fisheries in the Hot Lakes district was the subject of a.petition, signed by 589 residents of the Rotorua district, which ivas presented to the House of Represeutatives yesterday afternoon by the Hon. W. H. Herries. The petition sets out that the Rotorua acclimatisation district, which comprises some 7000 square miles of country, affords the finest trqut fishing in the Southern Hemisphere, but that for tho past four years the fish in the lakes have steadily deteriorated all for the want of some definite practical scientific policy. It is asserted that if the present state of things is allowed to continue the splendid fishing will soon be ruined. The district has been under the sole control of the Tourist Department for the past six years, but the petitioners submit that the Government control has proved a .failure. They ask that thd Kotorua acclimatisation disrtrict be placed under the control of an acclimatisation society, for the following reasons:— (1) That the district would be more efficiently served than at present, for the simple reason that persons living on the spot have more knowledge of the local conditions of fish and game than those in authority in 'Wellington, who have to depend on reports more or less, vaftue. (2) That the suggested society would be composed of representatives of all parts of the district, acting in conjunction with various rod and gun clubs throughout the district. (3) That an expert would be Appointed to take over the whole management of fisheries and game, and that an efficient system of ranging would bo established. (4) That such competent administration and efficient ranging would be obtained at less expense than tho present unsatisfactory control costs, as members of the proposed society would give their time and knowledge gratuitously. In connection with the petition tho president of the Rotorua. Rod and Gun Club (Mr. H. R. Macdonald) is issuing a circular to members of the House. Mr. Macdonald says, inter alia: "That want of knowledge of .fish culture, fish disease, etc., on the part of the Tourist Department and their inability to do anything practical in this direction urged my council to ask you to give this matter your earnest consideration, otherwise, the world-renowned fisheries of tho Thermal District will, in another year or two, bo hopelessly ruined. "Tho present condition of our fisheries points out the steady declipe which has taken place. From being the finest and most unrivalled trout fishing in the world, we have slowly arrived at the stage when it no longer attracts, and when the inducements for large numbers of oversea fishermen to visjt Rotorua no longer exist." Mr. Macdonald goes'on to say that tho steady deterioration of the fish which haj been taking place for years past has reached such a stage that immediate and drastic remedies are necessary. Ho states that although the' Rotorua Rod and Gun Club was gazetted an advisory board to the Tourist Department, the suggestions of the board have been ignored, and that inquiries for information havo met with the same fate. It is also alleged that the regulations in rpgard to netting have not been observed, it is stated that if the object of the petition is attained oil the present evils will be remedied by the appointment of an efficient expert and efficient rangers.