SARDINE “FLEET”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 594, 21 February 1929, Page 13

SARDINE “FLEET”

Research in Gulf i SPECIAL APPARATUS ARRIVES Last evening a snug little auxiliary cutter slipped her moorings in front of the Government Oyster Depot and nosed her way out of the harbour. A stout dinghy and a whaleboat with curious apparatus rigged at the stern were in tow. The cutter's quest was a novel one, and throughout the night she cruised in the Gulf, assisted in her investigations by a powerful lamp which directed its white beam into the ocean depths. When she returns, her crew of European experts will bring with them news of the first sardine hunt made in New Zealand with the aid of the special night light for attracting the fish. j This expedition is the latest move of i the newly-formed New Zealand Marine | Products, Ltd., which proposes to es- : tablish the sardine-cunning industry in Auckland. The special Polar lamp arrived early in the w*ek, and the party included Captain V. Gilic, who possesses highly-specialised knowledge of the industry.

The enterprise is still in its experimental stage, but the investigations already made have delighted the promoters. Last evening's "sardine fleet” consisted of the cutter, which acts as mother ship. the whaleboat, from which the netting operations are carried out, and on which the 3,000 candlepower lamp is rigged, and a large dinghy which is in temporary use during the investigations.

At present a small sardine net 160 feet by 40 feet, with a mesh of 1\ inches is being used. When operations begin in earnest a full-sized Lampara net 600 feet long and 100 feet deep with a mesh of only 3-inch will be used.

Because of its wide mesh, the present net allows quantities of fish to escape so the estimate of available quantitiesis automatically reduced to a most conservative figure. SAME AS IN EUROPE "New Zealand possesses great wealth in her waters —the true sardine and the anchovy,” said a member of the syndicate to-day. "They are the same as those found in France, Italy, the Adriatic, and Greece. We have been making investigations f.or the past few weeks, and they have been more than satisfactory. The catch consisted of sardines, sardeline and anchovy of very superior quality. “We located also some of their caves, or night rests. These fish are rather different from most others, and in New Zealand their action in coming to the surface from any depth is rather different from that in Europe. There is more interference by big fish, as New Zealand waters are infested with all kinds of large game fish. 1 “The useful fish on the market at the present time are not affected by j our operations. OTHER FISH UNTOUCHED "During our research we did not catch a single fish of the types marketed at present, except a few pipers, although we have brought to the surface many tons of sardines, sardeline, anchovy, New Zealand mackerels and English mackerels. “When the research work is completed and the right gear obtained, the tonnage should be surprising to the community. At present New Zealand is importing about £30,000 of canned sardines each year from Norway only, but we are hoping that in a short time New Zealand will export £30,000 of sardines a year after the needs of the country are supplied. "We are not seeking to do this on our own. We want all fishing fleets to do the same as is being done in Southern Europe.

"In some islands of Southern Europe there are many hundreds of thousands of men, women, girls and boys employed fishing and manufacturing during the season.

"During the last few days the Government authorities have examined the catch and they are quite satisfied that the New Zealand species of sardines are the same as those in European waters.”