CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3958, 20 June 1929, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor). Dear Sir, —I noticed in your last issue that a conference had been held between local fishermen and the member for the district .relative to the opening of the drain at the - Beach for the netting of whitebait. Ido not think that there were many licensed fishcilm,en present, mlany of whom were unaware that the conference was to be held. According to The report, Mr. John McGregor was the only licensed fisherinan .present, but there was a good attendance of casual fishermen who only indulge in catching a few’ pounds of whitebait annually. In any opinion if the drain was throw’n open there would be a great scarcity of whitebait within five years as there was previously to the closing of the drain. Mr. Boyle stated that there was no outlet to the lakes and that any whtiebait that entered the lagoon had to remain there but he knows quite well that Robinson’s Lakes are connected up with Lakes WjhaIkapuna, Koputara and Hunia and that there is an outlet from the last lake to the sea. He also said that he had never seen an inanga come down the drain . Personally, I have seen two Native women take more inanga than they could carry from the drain and I have seen theim carted away by the drayload. Mr. Boyle is quite aware of this fact. W(ith regard to the eels eating all the whitebait that enter the lakes, this is far firolm eoireet. I have been engaged in whitebaiting for over forty years now and I know that there are plenty of eels in the lakes but thei’e is also plenty of whitebait there. The Waikato River is very prolific in eels and there is plenty of whitebait caught there. In my opinion the drain should not be re-opened as by keeping it clo sed is our only chance of allowing the whitebait to increase. Despite the poaching that has -been going on in the drain of recent years there has been a noticeable increase in the 'bait since the closing of the drain. I remain, Yours etc., H. ANDRESEN.