QUINNAT SALMON.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1923, Page 1

QUINNAT SALMON.

FISHERMEN SUGGEST NEW INDUSTRY. DUNEDIN. April 11. A deputation representing the Port Chalmers Fishermen's Union waited on the lion. (4. Z. Amler-oii, .Minister of -Marine, this afternoon and asked that certain portion- oi the rivers in which quinnat salmon are iound should be thrown open |,,r netting fur commercial purposes. Tlie deputation consisted of -Messrs T. Anderson and R. S. Tonkin-oil. Replying, the Minister -aid that this country did not know what it owed I-; .Mr Ayson, u ho had heen mo-t sitrce-- ltd In the acclimatisation of quinnat salmon, v. hieli was largely a commercial li -h. Mr Arson had also neon -ucce.-si'ul in acclimatising the Atlantic salmi'ii which he (Mr Anderson) (bought was very lunch choicer than qniniial. lie ha,l :J-o reiiivenated the oyster I els at Auckland and the Department was now making a lew thousand pound- a year hy selling (lie oysters. He made suggestions which (he speaker had pul before Ihe Maoris for replenishing the Maori oyster beds. The Maori did not realise, a- the European did. the necessity for preserving this food in the -nape ol tlie oyster, hut iic Mr Anders'it)) thought that he had made arrangements which would he sat isf.'ietoi'y to all. The .Minister went oil to -ay lhal he thought a very good industry would I), tnhli-hcd ill onlines, ,„l with tnho run. .Mr Ay.-oii had made other suggestions which, if all went well, would he carried into effect. .Mr Ayson was now in the norili in connexion with the ii-hcrie- there, hut a- -non as he returned the .Minister would tell him what the deputation had said ami ask him to di-cuss the mailer with t belli. What; they laid asked lor was a very dillieult proposition, bocau-e acclimatisation societies were under the Departmeiii of Internal AfI’ai's and not under his charge. As soon

a- the suggestion Wits made that they -liniild enter the river- there was going to he trouble. Me was not prepared to express an opinion at present, because he would have to consult the Ill'll. W. Downie Stewart. He had told -Mr Ayson to do what was necessary to test the practicability of putting quintuit salmon on the market, and that course had been adopted, hut, unfortunately there was not the run for fish this year that there was hist year, and they had heen disappointed. They had thrown the season open to give fishermen a chance to catch i he fish, but unfortunately the result had not boon what was expected. They niu-t ju-t wait, hut lie believed his discussion with the deputation would do a lot ot good. The officers of the Department wore anxious to assist in every possible direction and they were not going to put any unnecessary obstacles in the way of making the salmon industry a commercial success. They would have to watch the industry, however, and

-oc.ie restrictions would he necessary. Mr Ay-on had been too busy to come down during the season, but a- -non Jibe could come, he would do -o.

Mr Tonkinson said that he 'had spoken to one or two prominent members of the Acclimatisation Society, and they seemed to approve of the suggestions he had made. He thought that arrangements could he made to the satisfaction of all parties. The only rivers in which quinnat salmon would run were those which were -now fed.

Mr J. M. Dickson, M.R.. asked what was tlie cause of the fish dying out. and Mr Tonkinson replied that it was the result of the rivers being overstocked. There was an excellent food supply available and people were not getting the benefit of it.