FISH RESEARCH

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 91, 14 October 1932, Page 6

FISH RESEARCH

SOCIETIES' APPEOVAL

WORK OF GREAT VALUE

MUCH ALREADY LEARNED

From, time to time criticisms of the efforts of the Central Fish Research Committee have appeared, in the Press from various members of acclimatisation societies and anglers, but it was significant that at the annual conference of acclimatisation societies yesterday nothing but unqualified' appreciation of the results already achieved,, and full faith in the ultimate benefits of/the scheme to which 15 societies out of 40 are contributing was expressed.

The committee set up by the conference to go, into the matter of fish research last night (Messrs. F. B. McKenzie, Auckland, L. O. H. Tripp, WeUington, A. E. Hefford, Marine Department, .C* M. Gordon, Auckland, C A Wilson, Otago, J. Bobertson, Southland' 0.-.. H. Lawrence, North Canterbury' Dr. G. F. W Anson, Wellington, C E Wiffen, Wellington, and- Professor Percival, , Christen'wen) to-day, recommended:— .

(1) The is satisfied that the research, work has progressed satisfactorily since the institution of the scheme, and its discontinuance at the present juncture would nullify to a great extent' the '.valuable:.work done, and in hand, and would result in a minimised return from the sum of £2288 already spent, plus the contributions toward the initial work by the Wellington and North Canterbury Societies of approximately £1600. (2) That the Central Pish Research. Committee should proceed with its 1033 programme as.budgeted,at*£7s'6, and as outlined by.Professor; Percival, reserves m hand and promised revenue'having been shown to bo sufficient for this purpose. (3) That the 1934 programme for. the. CIVR.C. is dependent oh such revenue as can. be : arranged before 31st March, 1933. It is definite that the larger societies cannot continue in full the grants hitherto made by them (partly because of- the low of the opossum revenue), and therefore these grants must be supplemented by, grants from, the smaller societies of not less than 5 per cent, of their fishing revenue for .the.year;ending 31st March, 1933. Npn-fishingTsocietiesare asked to make a grant of up. to 2 per cent, of their general revenue. • ;

The committee, said Mr. McKenzie, had done the -utmost to the extent of its- resources, and his society would contribute 22J .per cent of its revenue :td the continuation of the ,wor&

-.Professor Percival said that already a, great,.deal mdre". was knowri of the life.history of the • browi trout," and lnore was.being learned about the rainbow^, while' an accumulation.;of facts' about quinnat 'salmon .w*s 'being achieved. 'He .stressed the limited | nature> of the available staff and the need;of finance,. It was.clear.that further investigation was, necessary} as there Was little evidence on1 some vital points' forthcoming without it. The results that could be obtained by observationa during another spawning season wimld be vitaatte. He had recently been asked; to say whether they should stock a;lake' in the.^>uth:lsland, tfurither.observations,of the fauna in lakes would; have'to be, made before it was possible' to . say. The lakes were not all alike. Some' New Zealand lakes produced tons to the acre of feed food material, which in other countries was being converted into tons of fish muscle. ■: Whether fit was "gbssible -.*:te Inoculate.:. ■ ■these - • lakes * /with "the organisms that would convert that feed I food could.not yet be said. Little" was known yet of the North Island lakes. It was necessary for societies' to appoint co-operative research committees of their own to collaborate with the central committee.

■; ■ProfessprvPercival spoke ! of "the wisdom of, preventing fish' frpm: being taken until.they had spawned at least once, andiit was made clear that the action taken by some societies in. extending the takeable'.length met with his apprqvjll>,.^ : ' Appreciation M. the value of the reBearch.work was voiced by tie So'uAland, Wanganui, Otago, gilding; Waimarino Ji^'Whangarei,' Bay of Islands, MaTlbotoughi North Ifctotertrary* South Canterbury, Aucklajia, and "Wellington delegates, the smaller societies agreeing; -,to-= ;contribute ;f rom* 5; p.er 'cent, to 74 per cent.' of revenue', aiid the opinion was -generally expressed that the increase; of arid ri the '.'greaternumber of anglers made it necessary for, all. to ioombine with the research committee in keeping the*standard of angling up by seieritific study ana the individual assistance.of all societies in .collecting data and collaborating with the central committee.