SARDINES IN THE PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 142, 5 March 1918, Page 7

SARDINES IN THE PACIFIC

QUESTIONS FOR AUSTRALASIA.

Attention is being drawn to the possibilities of "trawling for sardines in Australasian waters (states the Sydney "Sunday Times"). The abundance of tho species in New Zealand was noted by Hector as far back as 1872, when ho wrote: "Pilchard, or Sardine (Clupea sagax). This is tho true representative of the herring kind in those seas, and it is reported to visit the east coast of Otago every year in February or March. On tho last occasion it was observed that the shoal was migrating southwards, and extended as far as the eye could reach, followed by a multitude of gulls, mutton-birds, barraomita, and porpoise. So densely packed were, they that by dipping a pitcher in the sea it would contain half fish, so that if larger boats and suitable nets were employed thousands of tons could be caught. . . . Another fish of the same family, reported to occur in New Zealand, and exceedingly abundant in Victoria, according to Professor M'Coy, is tho anchovy (Engraulis encrasiholus), being identical with the well-known anchovy of commerce."

The New South Wales authorities in their general trawling scheme are not overlooking the sardine and the possibilities of establishing a big local industry. Mr. D. G. Stead, general manager 'of the State trawling enterprise, says that the New South AY ales ostuaries abound with all threo kinds of sardine. The French sardine, the young of the Southern European herrings, is to be seen at a\\ times of the year around the entrance to the Clarence River, while the Norwegian sardine is common around Port Stephens. At most of the estuaries the true anchovy is to be met with in great shoals. A general trawler now being built will have surface nets with which to trawl for sardines.