TROUT FISHING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 51, 23 May 1927, Page 11

TROUT FISHING

THE MINISTER’S VIEWS IMPROVING CONDITIONS (From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. The Minister of Internal Affairs has recently been faced with criticism of the control of fisheries. He points out in reply that recent legislation altered the position in favour of the general interest. Previously fishing in certain rivers was a close corporation, but the effect of the agreement with the Maoris and special legislation, was to enable all holders of licences to fish for trout in the district instead of being prevented from doing so bv certain interests.

The £3,000 which is usually paid to the Maoris, he said, is, in fact, a liability incurred on behalf of anglers. At the same time the Government realises the necessity for keeping up, and if possible improving in any way, fishing in the district. With that purpose in view’ it is obtaining monthly detailed reports relative to all waters in the district, the conditions of such paters, the conditions of the fish therein, food supply and all relative matters, with a view to obtaining scientific advice from experts of the Marine Department as to what additional steps should be taken for keeping up, or improving, trout fishing. The Government has for years past ooen liberating ova from Lake Hawea trout in the district, and with the erection of a new hatchery at Toka-

anu it will be possible to largely increase the liberation of ova in the waters.

A suggestion made that the licence fee be higher for remote rivers and cheaper for nearer rivers, would, in effect, be giving undue advantage to the wealthier angler. In the same way it would be penalising other classes. A result would probably be that if high fees were charged for the remote rivers the additional cost "would prohibit fishing in those rivers by numbers of anglers and the reduced fee in nearby rivers would mean the unavoidable crowding of anglers in the lake waters. The object of the legislation and the regulations was. as far as possible, to give equal opportunity to all anglers.