QUINNAT SALMON.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1921, Page 2

QUINNAT SALMON.

FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN X.Z

WELLINGTON, July

This year 1,183,000 quinnat salmon ova have been taken and put down at Hakataramea hatchery, and Hie run of salmon up the Waitaki river, this year has been a record one. There is now not the lest doubt that quinnat salmon are! firmly established in New Zealand. It is perhaps unfortunate that the Atlantic salmon cannot be established, as this fish is pot only a. remarkably fine food fish, but the king of sporting fish, and can as a. rule be caught only in tidal waters, with an artificial minnow or fly. However, there are great possibilities in the acclimatisation of quinnat salmon, and in a very few years now the public will he taking as much interest in these fish as the fly fisherman, for they will he able to have a steak from a rich and lovely fish on their tables. This year there is ample evidence that there have been fish that would scale GOlb running up the Waitalri. The ranger has seen them in the lower reaches and far away amongst the foothills of the Southern Alps spent fish 4ft. to 4ft. Gin. long, which means 601 b. fish, have been found.

Mr Ayson, bead of the Fisheries Department, says there are fine prospects of putting the matter on a '•ommeirial footing, and it is only a question of time before large quantities of fresh salmon will he placed on the market. The fish have now spread along the coast to other rivers. The Department 'has been collecting eggs at Hakatarnmea every year, and these are being used to stock other rivers. By this means salmon have been introduced into the Hokitika on the .West Const the Wnirau in Marlborough, and iiie Clutha in South Otago. Already the fish are showing up in the Clutha and Hokitika very satisfactorily, and, given time, good results are also expected from the Wairau. Di the North Island tlie first river to he stocked will be th Wanganui, which Mr Ayson considers will he found very suitable. Anglers were not very successful last season in their efforts to catch the fish in the southern rivers, but all the fish taken, both on "rod and line, and for the procuring of ova, were in fine condition. The fish did not stay about the estuaries as much as usual, but seemed to run right up the rivers. The biggest fish landed by an angler weighed 35$lb.