Govt. Officers Shy Off Subject Of Introduction Of Bass Into New Zealand

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 42, 1 June 1965, Page 5

Govt. Officers Shy Off Subject Of Introduction Of Bass Into New Zealand

In considering the introduction of largemouth bass to New Zealand waters the Minister of Marine and his advisers were out of touch with public opinion, and heeded only the wishes of a small, shortsighted, but vocal minority, claims the Lake Taupo Angling, Shooting and Boating Federation.

The view was expressed in written draft submissions by the federation read to the annual conference with officers of the Wild Life Division, Internal Affairs, and Marine Department at the Taltac Clubrooms, Turangi on Saturday. When the draft was presented to the meeting the chairman, Mr P. O'Dea, deputy secretary of the Internal Affairs, ruled that the meeting was not competent to deal with the sub-' mrssions and suggested that the federation forward them to the Cabinet. subcommittee dealing with the problem. Mr O'Dea said hedid not feel that Government officers had the right to speak on such submissions when the matter was currently before a Cabinet committee. Mr B. Cuiiningham, Marine Department senior fisheries officer, said he could not answer the question posed in the submissions. Mr A. F. Hall, vicepresident of the Tongariro and Lake Taupo Angling Club, agreed to forward the final suhmissions to the Ministers of Marine and Internal Affairs. Mr Hall later made the submissions, prepared by the federation secretary Mr S. L. Gilkison, available for publication. Mr Hall stated that bass introduction was considered at a special meeting of the Freshwater Fisheries Advisory Council in 1961 after Mr R. K. Allen, a Marine Department officer, had spent six weeks in America studying species which could be introduced. Mr Allen told the counciS that his report was as factual as possible and he was satisfied from the short period of study, that bass should be introduced, The submission stated that Mr Allen had admitted that there was a chain of water from the north through which bass could be transferred from the north legally or illegally, and he admitted too that the species was easier to

transfer than trout. "Mr Allen also stated that if local species of forage fish were unsuitable for bass, certain other species could be imported. We say that every importation increases the leVei of • possible unforseen troubles." "The proposal has been made without adequate investigation and no confirmation of statements made in favour, as far as can be ascertained. , "The only statement in favour is that of Mr Allen, and we have 17 statements recorded by eminent authorities in the fisheries world who have had practical experience with both trout and bass. How could a.ny analytical mind make a rerecommendation against such evidence?" Among the questions posed in the submissions are: — ® Have any departmental officers had on-the-spot experience of bass-trout association? © If Marine Department officers in favour of the introduction are dependant on Mr Allen's report, and other available literature, without personal experience of their own, would it not follow that that literature against the scheme was not getting the consideration it deserved? • If a departmental officer was sent overseas at considerable expense to find a suitable fish for the northern lakes, would he not be reluctant to report that he had been unable to find such a species? © Does the department agree that Mr Allen gave no proven indication in his report of the effect bass could have in New Zealand trout waters? The submissions then make reference to opinions expressed by leading overseas authorities, all of whom reported against introduction of bass, and the department is asked if it would agree with those opinions. "All the evidence before the federations clearly indicates that the introduction of bass is surrounded with very many dangers, !

and if the introduction was I made on inconclusive evi- 1 dence, it would place an in- ; tolerable burden on the ! authority giving the final | permission. "The Taupo federation identifies itself with the Rotorua organisation in its opposition to the proposal, and we feel that if the cases stated are studied dis-passionat-ely by the Minister, the proposal will at last be dropped. "We are opposing the introduction of large mouth bass not only on behalf of the federation, but also as representatives of the 50,000 licenc-e holders in this area, 80 per cent. of whom come from outside the Taupo area, and continue to come, because they enjoy the fishing as it is today. "We are firmly convinced that the Minister of Marine and his advisers are completely out of touch with the wishes of the public, with the exception of a small, shortsighted, but vocal minority."