STOCKING STREAMS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 366, 22 February 1937, Page 4

STOCKING STREAMS.

FRY LIBERATED.

Over 11,000 Trout Placed In Patea River.

From the Durham Road hatchery on Saturday over 11,000 brown trout were taken by members of the council of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society and released in the Patea River and its tributaries. .Practically the Whole of the council was present and the excellent organisation resulted in a quick transfer of the fish from the ponds to the rivers.

Teeming with tiny fish up to four inches in length the ponds allotted to the Stratford society appeared to have been little depleted when the 11,000 fry had been taken out but their liberation will remove the overcrowding which was reported on at the last meeting of the society. In all 100,000 ova were placed on the trays in the hatchcry on. behalf of the Stratford society and there is still a large number of fish in the ponds. In due course these will bo liberated in the streams in the society's district which embraces the Stratford and Whangamomona counties.

The hatchery ponds, which are three feet wide and 44 feet in length are fed by the Ngatoronul stream and are Jointly used by the Taranaki, Stratford and Hawera societies. A large building where the ova is hatched is elaborately equipped and the general appointments and layout have earned the approbation of all interested in fish hatchery. Were it not for the continual stocking of streams by the various societies the sport of angling would soon die out and the wonder is that this.' costly work can be carried out at such a small cost to the license holder.

Counting the Fish.

On arrival at the hatchery the Stratford party was met by the curator, Mr J. Miller, and the first business was the counting of the fish. Two hundred and fifty were carefully counted as a guide and thereafter the quantities were estimated as the' fish Were taken from the pond and placed in petrol tins. These, w»re emptied into 19 specially constructed cans already loaded on a motor lorry. In each can was placed a lump of Ice so as to obviate any mortality through the heat while in transit to the river. When the lorry arrived in town other members were waiting with cars and from a central point the fish were taken and liberated in the. rivers. Last scene of all. Tiny fish darting away into the rippling waters to fend for themselves and face the hazards of the river in the shape of ravenous eels or the angler’s hook. No more for them the juicy livers in the secure waters of the hatchery.