SHAGS & TROUT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1938, Page 7

SHAGS & TROUT

SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION OF COARSE FISH. ALTERNATIVE FOOD SUPPLY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. WELLINGTON, This Day. A letter advocating the introduction of roach, rudd, gudgeon and dace, socalled “coarse fish” of Britain, into New Zealand rivers, as food for shags, was received by the Wellingtin Acclimatisation Society’s council last night. The writer, Mr F. Warner, Wellington, said that when reading general condemnation of shag and eel as destroyers of trout, it had always been to him a matter of wonder that other breeds of fish had not been introduced as a food supply for these pests, to relieve the trout. The breeds most suitable were roach and rudd for still waters and lakes, and dace and gudgeon for streams and rivers. These fish bred prolifically. At Home they were found in every pond, canal, lake and stream not poisoned by industry. and held their own against the depredations of pike and perch, which preyed upon them. Roach ran up to two pounds in weight, and though regarded as a “coarse” fish, they were actually very good eating. A report received from Mr D. F. Hobbs, Marine Department biologist, on the possibility of establishing American brook trout (salvelinus fontinalis) in the Wellington district. He said the establishment of these fish had been attempted throughout the country in the early days. Generally, the attempts failed, though stocks of diminitive specimens were found in certain localities. American opinion was that fontinalis did not thrive in company with brown or rainbow trout.

Mr Hobbs also reported on the depredations of shags, stating that not only the black shag, but the pied shag also, ate trout.