OIL DAMAGE TO FISHERIES

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1925, Page 4

OIL DAMAGE TO FISHERIES

RATH EL-; S( i! I' iiHixD. I.OXDOX. A up. 11. Tito Hritisii vlnvernmout is main:;; I o' tire Cniled Stal - to call a eon•lereuee an the : ii'.'cP a tbe pollutinn of Due sea ly oil iii• ebarpes !,,*1 alm l:ikinp i::i liier steps l > dead wi: a Hie evil. 'liouiries veateiday -bowel Diitt toe prop iM eoiilei'em '. whicii I'o'S 1.,"-" talked 'ai oil for lons' years, is no nearer a-.-emblv . anil the ofiieial Ib'ilisb view' is that until the I'niled Slate. Cm ei am. ut lain. - lb" lead I 'ae 111 it i Ciuvernment eaunot ait. 'I in* < l llii-i: 1 1 v ion . 1 urtiior. is t !i:i 1 the II il i a 111 e I- del lea-ii np. lit tai- is IK). I, .rile out by Die observations of li. !mrmen or Dime w In) li.e lit ‘ea-ioe towns, from all parts ol the ' a-t. and pa iii<ii la rly Horn II"' seii'idc [owns belueeli the UlollDl of the | in; a., and I’lyimoi! b. < uiie - plaints ol bathers' who have b.-eu - llieimd by heavy oil dnal iup. on the surface i,| the water. In some cases victims have bad to be scrubbed down wil li pel ml to clean t hem. Recently a petition sipned bv more than IS.t.ji) inbabitant- of the Isle of Wielit was presented to Dm Crime .Minister (.illiiip bis attention to Hie destruction of IHh and sea I ml- by oil. Ibe birds. vv-‘:i"n divinp. pet their feathers ( (ivered with Die black oil. and arc t!i•• 11 doomed, sitn-e they can no lon per II v. Tlioiisa nils have been picked ip wbu b !,ave suffered I his cruel death iii |'( relit IllouDlS. LEW El! I'ISII CACiHIT. f ish"i'iiicn have no doubt wlialevel' Dial oil pollution is Die prim if.al cause of tho nui rked diln i n ill inn in recent veal's of Die yield of I lie i 11--11" Ii • li-h-Seieiit i.- ts are divided in epiiiioii. Hr K. S. Russell. Die Director of Kisiieries In \ i-si ipat ion lor t It" Ministry ol Aprieult ore and I' isberies. pave it as his opinion yesterday that oil pollnlnm had no serious ell'eet on tide (In I lie Ot hoi band. Sir A rlil ur S!ii|v-b-v. who bus bee,, chairman of Die Marine Uinb.pienl Ass.i. ia l ioli. declaim : iD'ji ii 11 el \ that a thin film "I “il del rovs life in the ocean. and Sir Wrench Tows", wbo was lor many years clerk to Die I'islinioupers' Conijiaiiy and lion, secretary ol tile Xatiolial Sea Fisheries l’rotei t ion Association, is of the same opinion. :t I’ROsE'.'rrmxs in ;j years. Oil pollution nei m i mainly thruueh tlie pmnpiiip out of I ilpe irom the tanks of oil-bnioiiip siiijis. from the breaking up oi oil-earryiup vessels sunk in the war. from- the inei eii'inp use of small motor bait tv. and probably also from town drainape systems, w ire i carry out to sett quantities of oil washed off motor-ears in local parapes and off the roads.

An Act passed in liip’-J made it an utiene • for ships to discharpe oil w ituin 3 miles from the shore, but only three prosecutions have taken place under its provisions., and the uiliicultie- of detection and proof have been so preat that ii is admittedly almost useless.