Westland Acclimatisation and Tourist Society

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1929, Page 6

Westland Acclimatisation and Tourist Society

A further consignment of 100,000 trout ova from Southland was received on Thursday for the Lake lvanieri Hatchery.

The curator (Mr S. R. Ridlands) reports a very successful season so far, and with the arrival of this consignment there will he a total of 530,--000 brown trout ova. in different stages of incubation in the hatchery. A further consignment of 100,000 is expected to complete the requirements for the season.

- The whole of the. brown trout fry will be divided between the Greymouth and Hokitika. Acclimatisation Societies, this amicable arrangement being of mutual benefit to both districts, and in the years to come must show a marked increase in' the sport obtained in the West Coast streams.

It is the opinion of some anglers that the trout, on entering the sea, follow the whitebait shoals along the coast, thus depleting some of the heavily stocked rivers. An instance of this occurs in South' 'Westland, ■where very little stocking, has been done, and nearly every stream contains an abundance of trout and some very heavy fish have been taken. Unfortunately these ’ streams are , not .sufficiently ranged and a heavy toll of 'fish is taken by the spear, rifle, and dynamite.

From, a tourist point of view, the ova of a few good trout streams are a decided acquisition to a district and are instanced in the growing popularity of Rotorua and Southland for the sporting visitor.

An attempt is being made to acclimatise the Quinnnt Salmon in the Hokitika Rivers and this season a consignment of 250,000 ova were obtained from the Government salmon station at Hakatornmea and hatched out at Lase Kaniori. The fry were liberated in the Styx River and small tributaries of the Hokitika. After liberation these fish work their way to the sea which becomes their habitat and do not re-appear in the.rivers until they spawn—a period of about four years. After spawning they die. It is a peculiar fact that no definite run of these salmon have yet been observed in the Coast rivers, yet their acclimatisation has been most successful on the East Coast. Local enthusiasts still retain their hopefulness of eventually bringing their efforts to a successful conclusion.

A very interesting couple of hours may be spent, at the hatchery and any visitor will be welcomed and conducted by the Curator round the various trays and boxes containing the fry in its different stages before it is finally ready for liberation. ;