ACCLIMATISATION OF AMERICAN WHITEFISH IN NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5279, 25 February 1878, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION OF AMERICAN WHITEFISH IN NEW ZEALAND.

(From the iV, Z. Herald.) It will he remembered by our readers that one or two attempts have been made to introduce iuto this colony the famous whitefish of the United States (the corqnoyonus alba of science) but without success. This is the more to be regretted, as the whitefish is regarded as one of the most valuable and delicate fish the American Continent produces. Besides being a food fish sf such quality, it is a favorite with the sportsman, rising readily to the fly. It is found iu abundance in the great American lakes, and has been, after many failures, partially acclimatised iu California. The-e is very little doubt, that if it cau be established in the lakes of this colony, a very valuable addition to our resources will have been secured. We are pleased to he able to report that, mainly We believe through the exertions of Mr. R. J. Creighton, formerly of this , city, now of San Francisco, the Hon. Mr, Baird, Chief of the United States Commission, has with characteristic good nature and courtesy forwarded for the New Zealand Government 500,000 whitefish ova. This valuable consignment arrived on Thursday by the s.s. City of Sydney. Mr. J. O. Firth having been requested by the Colonial Government to undertake the necessary measures for the safe re-packing and transshipment of . the ova, he immediately took means to secure the proper carrying out of the operations. We ; are glad to say that though Mr. Firth only received the request on. Wednesday, he had everything prepared to receive the ova on the arrival of the steamer, which, fortunately, was somewhat late By 7 o’clock on Thursday evening, Mr. Firth had the necessary insulating chests, ice-boxes containing a reserve of about half a ton of ice alongside. On bo.rding the steamer Mr Frith received, as on previous occasions, every necessary assistance from Captain Dearborn and chief officer Johnson. When the steamer’s ice-house was opened, the ova boxes lay embedded in ice, and, to all appearance, seemed in excellent condition. With the assistance of Mr. Firth’s own people, Messrs. Smith, Tremain, J. Brown, Grant, and Howard, and Mr, Abercrombie, curator of the Acclimatisation Society, the repacking and transhipment to the s.s! Hawea was very quickly effected. By twenty minutes past 8 o’clock, with the kind assistance of Captain Wheeler and chief officer Garard, everything was placed on board the Hawea, and full instructions having been given to Mr. Garard for the treatment of the ova (luring the voyage, the Hawea at once hauled off iuto the stream, and began her voyage. The Government will no doubt see that the courtesy of Professor Baird, Mr. Creighton, aud the proprietors and officers of the steamships City of Sydney are properly acknowledged. Mr. Creighton expresses very great approval of the assistance rendered to him by Mr. Woodbury, of the San Francisco department of the .United States Fish Commission, for the very able and willing assistance he rendered to him in San Francisco in connection with the enterprise. We hope that this grand enterprise will be a success, though at the same time it must be acknowledged that the acclimatisation of this valuable fish has been everywhere attended with very great difficulties. For some years so uniformly unsuccessful had the effects been to transport the ova to the Pacific States, that it was considered a feat impossible to he effected. Repeated trials, however, had been attended with a partial success, though we learn from Mr. Creighton that a similar parcel of whitefish ova from Lake Michigan, coming across the Continent with the New Zealand parcel, was found on arrival in San Francisco to be completely destroyed. We hope better things of this last New Zealand venture ; though considering the difficulties we would not like to be too, sanguine. The destination of the ova is Wellington, for distribution among the Southern lakes, the Northern lakes being considered of too high a temperature for this fish to thrive in. In that opinion we do not concur, and think that Lakes Taupo aud Tarawera are both very suitable, with temperature of water sufficiently low to justify the Government in its next venture appropriating a portion of ova for these two lakes.