WHITEBAIT IN WESTLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1928, Page 4

WHITEBAIT IN WESTLAND

(By A. C. ARMSI'RONG, Chairman, Hatcheries Committee, Westland,, iu “TJio New Zealand Fishing and Shooting Gazette.")

Fox- some time, tlio subject of “Whitebait” has been exercising the minds of diifei-ent Acclimatisation Societies of Now Zealand, as well as that of the Fishex-ies Department, in regard to the decreasing supply from year to year. Prompted by a strong desire to conserve the species, many suggestions have been niado, which may or may not have the; dcsii-ed result.

Fortunately, in Westland, the whitebait has not decreased to the extent to cause concern. While not denying that the amount of whitebait that appoar in our rivers is less than say, twenty years ago, yet with the extension of the Canterbury market, and the fact that tlxex-o arc ten fishennen to-day, Where there used to he one, and idso that two canning factories are kept going during the season, it is the prevailing opinion that more whitebait are being caught today than at any period of the histoi-y of Westland. Whether the great shoals that used to make their appearance in previous years are diminishing in size, or whether it is due to the great number of fishermen whom the fish havo to pass, it is certainly a fact that whitebait do not reach tho places upstream, where once they wore caught in abundance. However, it is not the writer’s intention to enter into a controvei-sy about the matter, but to write a few notes which may bo of general intei-est to the readers of "The Fishing and Shooting Gazette,- ’ While the industry is of great financial benefit to the district, particularly as the season occurs during the lean months of the year, yet these wonderful little fish, cannot fail to be a soui-cc of great and unending interest to all lovers offish life, while to tin; average citizen the interest is sustained only until a good plateful of "fritters” has been demolished, and perhaps, as a delicious and dainty dish, it is unequalled in tho lino of fish.

Whitebait make their appearance in the rivers during tho month of August and until about the beginning of December. It was reported in .the “Hokitika Guardian” on the 17th May last, that about a dozen had been caught by a local fisherman. This is not unusual, hut they are not seen in payable quantities until the latter end of August. They enter the rivers from tho sea 'with in-coming tide, and swim .along the edge of the river. They appear in shoals of varying size, until about the middle of October, when, on certain days, the main runs take place and .then they seem to come in a continuous stream. The fact of their swimming in shoals and along the edge of the rivers makes their capture very easy. They always swim upstream, and las the force of the curi‘ent is considerably lessened near the banks, this may ibe the reason why they swim as close inshore as possible, or perhaps it may he their protective instincts that lead them into the shallow waters where their natural enemies are more handicapped. During the times that the shoals are small, they are easily frightened by movement on the hanks, when they disappear into deep water, to reappear again near the hanks ai little further up-stream. -But when the principal runs take place they seem to be obsessed with the idea of “getting there” as quickly as possible, and arc not easily frightened. The method of capture is by hand net and by the set net. Hie hand "not is the one commonly used throughout Now Zealand, and is made from thin mosquito netting. A supplejack stick is bent so as to form a circle, and the ends lashed together. This is then

flashed to the end of a long pole—about 12 or 14 feet, with tho end of tho pole right across the centre of the circle. Tho netting is sewn round the supplejack and suspended So ns to form a conical shaped Ibag about four feet long. The not is then placed in the water with tho mouth facing down stream, and it is dragged along slowly until tho opening encircles the shoal of whitebait, which by their habit of always swimming upstream, outer and remain in the not until tho drag ‘is completed and tho net lifted. The set not—which, by the way, is only, used in tho Westland district, and allowed by s|>ecial regulations—is used by tho professional fishermen in conjunction with wliat is termed n “Trench.” This net is made somewhat differently, with the opening shaped .like tho letter D, with supports of supplejack vines inside the net to keep it- open. The “trench” is simply n lino of sacks filled with stone or gravel and iplnced side by (side to form a kind of jetty out into the river. At intervals a span is left between the sacks to allow a current of water to run through. In this opening the set net is placed with the flat side of the D resting on (the bottom. A good sized stone is placed on this to keep it firm, while each side is supported by the upright sacks. The fish enter the net and remain there until the. net is lifted. While a good strong current is running, the fish will remain -.in tho net facing upstream, but when the rising tide causes the water to hack, up; the flow is lost and the fish will then swim out, if the net is not lifted beforehand'. The set net is lifted and emptied at short intervals according to the run of fish. The system of trenches is supervised by tho local sergeant of police, in his capacity of Sub-Inspector of Fisheries, who pegs off Iboth hanks of tho river, numbering the pegs, at a distance of two chains apart, and each peg to represent the spot at which a trench may be built.' The fisherman selects a suitable spot, and makes application for the trench, which is usually granted without any payment or fee. The trench is then registered in his, or her name—a sprinkling of women is often seen, no doubt imbued with a keen , desire to assist tho family exchequer—and the applicant may work that trench for the whole season.

As previously mentioned, the “trench" system only applies to the Westland district, and is not permitted in other parts of New Zealand. Tin's may he the reason why such wonderful 'catches are made in this district, as the fisli would have to swim well out in the stream to escape the great number of trenches. During the whole course of the whitebait’s journey up the river, it is tlie prey of practically all fish, as well as the shags and innumerable sea birds that follow the shoals. The herring or mullet is! perhaps, their greatest enemy, as they follow them in from the sea, and up the tidal waters until the depleted shoals make their escape into some small creek or lagoon in which they make their habitat. Here they stay until the autumn, when they—as adult fish— descend tho rivers to tho sea to spawn. This matter of snnwning has always been a subject of much controversy. Some authorities claim that they spawn in the rivers or tidal waters, and that the spaw n is washed out to sea, while others - maintain that the spawning takes place on the bed of tho ocean. It is all a matter of conjecture, and no convincing evidence has been established to justify any opinions. It is known that they come from tho sea, and that the adult fish —called by the Maoris the Inanga—return to the tidal waters in the autumn, hut any further knowledge of their habits is problematical.

Westland is extremely fortunate in the number of rivers and small streams in which the whitebait run, particularly tho Teremakau, Araliura and tho'Hokitika. The Arahura. is fished by the Maoris only—to whom this privilege is granted—ami great catches arc made there at times. The Arahura is the river that was famed for its deposits of greenstone, so prized by the early Maoris. Fven to-day fishermen often find' some good specimens of the stone while travelling the riverbed.

The opening of tlie roads into South Westland is making tlie rivers there accessible to fishermen, and with the quick transport by motor, enables the catches to bo brought to the railway at Ross or Hokitika, for despatch to Christchurch, where they arrive in quite fresh condition. Tho opening of tho Otira tunnel had tlie effect of booming tho industry on the West Const, causing a considerable rise in tho price, as well as a permanent outlet for tlie simply. Previous to this, the canning factories could not cope with the catches, and on many occasions tlie fish had to he dumped or taken away to gardens for manure.

One of the peculiarities of the whitebait is that the main runs take, place during the spring tides, after a good flood in the rivers. This was particularly notice.",ble last season, when for the most part the rivers were at a very low level; and very soon after the Hood came, the whitebait made their usual run. The runs vary in the several rivers from .year to year, so that one river that was greatly favoured this year, may get equally poor patronage the following year. Vet from reports received, it is apparent that the rivers in the lar south ol Westland—in which practically no fishing takes plnoo—whitebait still make their appearance in large quantities and would he productive of an unlimited supply if the rivers were more accessible.

This may he one of the reasons why the supply in the Westland streams has not decreased to an alarming extent, as has. occurred in other parts of New Zealand. It would he quite feasible to assume that the south rivers at present form a sanctuary where the whitebait are allowed to ascend in comparative peace, and so grow to maturity, thus creating a supply sufficient to stock the more depleted riv-

Some l people claim tlmt the whitebail, are the spawn ol several species of fish,. Iml from experiments conducted locally, and also in other parts ol New Zealand, it has been absolutely established that they are the spawn of the Inanga. The Westland Acclimatisation Society are taking a keen interest in the annual runs, and the Marine Department oa,n he assured that they will l>c the first to report any serious decrease in what is to-day not the least of our natural resources.