FISH CULTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 February 1921, Page 4

FISH CULTURE.

ADDRESS BY INSPECTOR OF FISHERIES. An address on the subject of “Fish Culturq”, arranged by the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society was given at New Plymouth last night by Mr. L. Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries. Mr. G. G. Grover presided. In introducing the speaker, Mr. Grover briefly traced the history of the Tara? naki Acclimatisation Society, and the set-back it sustained by the war, when sportsmen abandoned the rod for the rifle. Mr. Ayson said that fish culture, and means of stocking rivers, has been an immense success wherever it has been intelligently carried out. The principal objects of fish culture in all countries may x be said to be for two important purposes: (a) For the purpose of establishiijg some kinds of fish in waters where they previously never existed, and (b) to maintain the supply of fish which have existed in certain waters, but which are liable to have their numbers seriously depleted by various causes. The speaker dealt at length with the erection and equipment of hatcheries, and the methods for obtaining a supply of eggs, stressing the importance of a good water supply, the need for filtering the water, and the care needed in collecting, incubating and hatching the eggs. As regards the controversy about fry or yearlings being the better method of stocking a stream, Mr. Ayson considered that if the yearlings had been reared under natural conditions they were superior to fry; but in the case of artificial rearing, with a limited water supply, better results would be obtained from strong fry if put in at the right time. Fish should be liberated as near the head of a stream as possible, and spread over as great an extent of the stream as possible. For fry, raw sheep’s liver, minced up fine, and junket, alone or mixed with the liver, made excellent food. The speaker traced the history of fish culture in New Zealand, and also touched upon the method of putting down poaching by inculcating the true sportsman’s spirit in our children. After answering several questions, Mr. Ayson was accorded a very hearty vote of thanksj