BLACKFISH SCHOOL STRANDED

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 110, 7 February 1928, Page 10

BLACKFISH SCHOOL STRANDED

THIRTY-SEVEN ASHORE NEAR WHANGAREI

Dominion Special Service.

Whangarei, February 6.

A school of blackfish was an unusual sight seen at Castle Rock, Whangarei Heads, on Saturday evening. Settlers and passengers oti the Kororo saw the fish follow the leader, ‘said to be the smallest of the school, on to the rocks and the adjoining beach, where they became stranded, despite frantic efforts to get back to deep water. The fish are reported to have been from six to 20 feet in length and three of the largest must have weighed nearly two tons.

The stranded school, numbering 37, was the object of much attention by trippers during the week-end, when one or two were still living, though high and dry. One of these near the water was helped back to its natural element, and soon swam almost out of sight, but after came inshore to the spot where it again became stranded. Blackfish are very faithful to the school and will in no circumstances leave it, as was proved by an incident on Saturday evening. When the visitors became stranded, two who had escaped swam in company around the bay for nearly two hours, and eventually went on to the rocks. Residents set to work on Sunday evening to remove the fish from the shore before this task became too unpleasant. The carcases are spread over the whole harbour foreshore down to the far end of Urquharto Bay. Seven are lodged near the wharf, where there is a regular traffic in dairy products, and others are lying opposite private residences and week-end cottages. People are in doubt as to which authority should undertake the task of towing the carcases out to sea—the Harbour Board, Marine Department, or Health Department. The only effective way ■is to take them into the main channel on a seaward drift. It is believed the Harbour Board will undertake this dutv.