THE WHITEBAIT INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3984, 15 August 1929, Page 3

THE WHITEBAIT INDUSTRY.

t PROPOSED REGULATIONS. As a .result of recent investigations into the whitebait industry, the following proposed regulations have been drawn up:— CLOSE .SEASONS. 'The following periods are hereby prescribed as close seasons dui’ing which no person shall fish or take, oir.be in possession of, whitebait for purposes of sale: — (a) In the North Island, from the Ist day,of November in any year until the 14th day of August following, both days inclusive. (b) In the Westland County, including the Taramakau River, from the Ist of December in any year until the 31st dayof August following, both days inclusive. (c) In the remainder of the South Island, from the 16th day of November in any year until the 31st day of August following, both days inclusive. No person shall fish or take whitebait for purposes of sale unless he is the hold ex - of a license to do so issued pursuant to these regulations in the form prescribed in the first schedule hereto. APPLICATIONS: HOW TO BE MJMKE. • Applications shall be made, in such foam as may be prescribed, to the (Collector of Customs at a port in the district in which the applicant proposes to fish. PEES FOR. LICENSING. The fees payable for a license issued pursuant to these regulations shall be as follows: For a license to use a dip-net or scoop-net operated by hand (hereinafter referred to as a handnet), the sum of 10/-. For a license to use a set-net the t sum of £l. WIHLTEBAIT TAKEN FOR PRIVATE CONSUMPTION. (a) Anv person desiring to take whitebait for food for himself or his family or friends may take the same only by means of a hand-net only, having an opening not exceeding 6 square feet in area or a diameter not greater than 2ft. 6in.; and the use of a. set-net for such purpose is hereby prohibited. (b) No such person shall take more than 2 quarts of whitebait in any day. SIZE OF HAND-NETS USED FOR TAKING WJHTEBAIT FOR SALE. No hand-net shall be used for taking whitebait for purposes of sale the mouth of which has a diameter or greatest width exceeding 4ft. Provided that in the drain known as the Wbakapuni Drain, which flows into the Manawatu River, it shall be unlawful to use a bandnet the mouth of which has a diameter or greatest width exceeding 2ft bin. SET-NETS: WHERE THEY MAY - BE USED. (a) It shall be unlawful to use a set-net to fish for or take whitebait in any waters other than, those prescribed in the second schedule hereto. JIGGERS, ETC. USE OF, PRO--7 HLBITED. No person shall use for the purpose of enabling him to catch c whitebait the device or appliance known as a “jigger,” which is an appliance formed of pieces of (metal or other substance attached to a line and placed in a river for the pui'pose of turning fish into a net; nor shall any other device or contrivance be used which tends to prevent or divert the movement of whitebait up or down stream, with the exception of the groynes and wings used in the places specified, and under the conditions prescribed, in. regulations 8 and 9 hereunder, respectively. e GROYNES, USE OF, RESTRICTED. No person shall take whitebait by using nets in conjunction with groynes or walls constructed from the banks or on the beds of a river by means of which the fish may be diverted or directed into the net. INTERVALS OR SPACES BETWEEN NETS. No person shall use a set-net within a distance of 2 chains, measured along the direction of the stream, from a set-net already in use by another person: Provided that, where two license-holders mutually agree, their set-nets may be placed at a less distance than 2 chains. No person shall use a hand-net within a distance of 5 yards Horn the net of another person already engaged in fishing with a hand-net, or within 10 yards from a set-net already placed in position for fishing. NUMBER. OF SET-NETS TO BE USED. No person shall use more than one set-net, or use a set-net and hand-net. at the same time. Provided that in the tidal portions of the l-iven’s of Westland, including . the Taramakau River, more than one set-net may be left in place at the same time in the groynes or trench which is used in connection with the whitebait fishing. USE OF BOX-NET PROHIBITED. The taking of whitebait by what is known as the box-net, or by an form of net which is used by being towed or drawn by a rope or line along the bottom or through the waters of a liver, stream, estuary, or lake, is hereby prohibited. RETURNS OF WHITEBAIT TO BE BENT TO MINISTER, Every person holding a license under these regulations shall forward to the Minister of Marine, in such form ar.d at times as may be prescribed in that behalf, returns of all whitebait taken by him pursuant to these regulations. FINES FOR BREACHES. Any person committing a breach of these regulations shall be liable to a fine of £2O, and in addition, if he is the holder of a license, he

shall, in the discretion of the Minister be liable to the cancellation of such license. SECOND SCHEDULE. Rivers in which the use of setnets is permitted for taking whitebait for sale - 1. In the Provincial District of Hav.ike’s Bay. All the rivers and their tributaries. 2. In the Provincial Distinct of Taranaki. The rivejrs and their tributaines in the counties of Egmont, Clifton, and Taranaki. 3. In the Provincial District of Wellington. The Manawatu and Rangitikei Rivers and their tributaries, but excluding any ai’tificial drains flowing thereinto. 4. In the Provincial District of Nelson. The Motue’ka and Moutere Rivetrs qnd their tributaries. 5. In the Provincial District of Westland. The Taramakau, Hokitika, Totara, Waitaba, Big Wanganui, and Little Wanganui Rivers and their tributaries. fi. In the Provincial District of Cantei'bury: (a) The Ashley River, and the Taranaki and Waikuku 'Creeks: (b) the rivers and streams and their tributaries in the counties of Ashburton, Geraldine, Levels, and Waimate. 7. In the Provincial District of Southland: The 'Mataura River and its tributaries. THERE SCHEDULE. Areas and dimensions of setnets allowed ito be used for taking whitebait for sale: — In the Provincial District of Hawke’s Bay, the area of the mouth of the net shall not exceed 5 square feet, nor the circumference thereof Bft. In the Wellington Provincial District (Manawatu and Rangitikei Rivers)', the area of the mtouth or opening of the net shall not exceed 9 square feet and there shall be not less than 1 lineal foot clean’ space of water between the outer edge of the net and the opposite bank of the river or tributary. If the mouth of the net is oblong in shape, the height in feet multiplied by , the width in feet must not exceed 9; if oval in shape, the height in feet multiplied by width in feet must not exceed 11; if circular in shape the diameter must not exceed 3ft. 4in. or the circumference 10ft. 7in. In the Taranaki Provincial District the area of the mouth or opening of the net shall not exceed 4$ square feet ojr dimensions 3ft. 'by Hft,