WHITEBAIT IN GOOD SUPPLY

Southland Times, Issue 24229, 12 September 1940, Page 6

WHITEBAIT IN GOOD SUPPLY

Low Price Quickens

Demand'

ACTIVITY ON SOUTHLAND RIVERS

The whitebait season this year is the best that has been experienced in Southland for many years. With the fish running well and much earlier than for a number of years, the supplies coming forward, especially during the past week, have been in excess of local requirements. The supplies during the week have been daily some hundreds of pounds more than the local market can absorb, even although the local demand has been much greater than usual. As a result of this over-supply, substantial quantities have been sent to Dunedin for canning. The white bait are plump and are being netted in particularly clean condition. With the large supplies available, 1/6 a half pint is being charged, which is the lowest for this stage of the season for many years. .The price is usually 2/- or more at this time.

The Mataura river has been furnishing the bulk of the supply as usual. The fish have been running there since the beginning of the season; the run started more recently in the Aparima and Oreti rivers.

The belief is held by some persons that whitebait, may not be sold privately. This is not so, however, and any private fisherman securing a good catch may sell it.

GOOD CATCHES REPORTED Men, women and children are engaged in the netting of whitebait on the Mataura, and reports indicate that some splendid individual catches have been made. The whitebaiters are working for the most part between the railway bridge at Gorge Road and Fortrose. Set nets are allowed on this river provided that no “traps” in the nets are used; A staging may be used, provided it has no obstruction underneath. The general idea is that no artificial means of leading the whitebait into the nets is allowed.

Set nets are not allowed on the Aparima and Oreti rivers, except in cases where persons have obtained permission from the Minister of Marine (the Hon. D. G. McMillan) to use them.