H.—ls.

7

The canning of the toheroa, a shell-fish, which is found in large quantities on the sandy beaches between Kaipara North Head and Mongonui Bluff, is becoming an important industry, and the question of leasing the right to take them on sections of the foreshores and of making a close season for the time the fish are out of condition at spawning-time is under consideration. The report of the Chief Inspector, Mr. Ayson, which gives detailed information regarding the fisheries, and a return of prosecutions for breaches of the law regarding fish, are appended. Whaling. During the year a great many whaling-vessels, principally Norwegian, came to the Dominion tor the purpose of whaling, but apparently they did not meet with the success expected, as most ot them have left for other countries. During last session of Parliament an Act was passed to enable regulations to govern the industry to be made, and to grant licenses for the establishment at shore factories. The necessary regulations under the Act are now being prepared. Seals. The close season for seals has been extended until the 30th June, 1913. The Governments of Great Britain, the United States, Japan, and Russia having entered into a Convention in regard to the killing, hunting, and taking of seals in the seas within such part of the Pacific Ocean as is north of the thirtieth parallel of north latitude, including the seas of Behring, Kamchatka, and Japan, the Imperial Parliament passed an Act in 1912 to enable effect to be given to the Convention. Section 3 of this Act provides penalties for using any port within the United Kingdom for fitting out ships for illegally taking seals in any prohibited area in the seas mentioned, and for the seizure of ships that are being fitted out for the purpose, and the seizure of the skins of seals illegally taken. The Act also provides that His Majesty may by Order in Council extend the provisions of sections 3 and 4 to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Newfoundland, on the Governor in Council consenting to such extension being made. The Governor in Council has consented to the extension of the provisions referred to being made to New Zealand, and the Secretary of State for the Colonies has been notified of this. Portobello Marine Fish-hatchery. Mr. Anderton, curator of this hatchery, was sent to England last August to bring out a shipment of herring-ova and some live fish, lobsters, and crabs; the lobsters and crabs being to renew the breeding-stock at the hatchery, and during the time he was away his assistant, Mr. W. Adams, took charge of the hatchery. Mr. Anderton left England with 60,000 herringova, 300 live turbot, 43 lobsters, and 50 crabs, and he landed at Port Chalmers 200 turbot, 41 lobsters, and 43 crabs, which are doing well at the hatchery. Unfortunately, the attempt to introduce the herring was not successful, but this was through no fault of Mr. Anderton, who did all that could be done to ensure success. The failure of the attempt should not, in my opinion, deter the Department from making another attempt at some future time. 1 append a very full and interesting report by Mr. Anderton on the shipment. Reports on the hatchery by Mr. G. M. Thomson, Chairman of the Board which manages it, and by Mr. Anderton, curator, are appended. Fishery Regulations. The following alterations have been made in the Fishery Regulations during the year, viz. : Prescribing that whitebait-nets with an opening of not more than 8 square feet may be used in the Motueka and Moutere Rivers and in the rivers and streams in Hawke's Bay, such nets to be stiffened with wire hoops fixed on poles; prescribing the period from the Ist'November in one year to the 31st August in the following year to be a close season for whitebait in the Waikato River and its tributaries; prescribing a three-years close season for oysters on the west coast of the North Island between Albatross Point and the mouth of the Uranui Stream; providing that licenses to net trout in the New River estuary shall be issued to bona fide fishermen only; and providing that it shall be illegal to take blue-cod of a less length than 10J in. in the natural state or not less than 9 in. when properly headed. The Chief Inspector has been out in fishing-boats to obtain information as to the decrease or otherwise of blue-cod and as to the best way of preventing undersized fish being taken and destroyed. He is now preparing a report on the subject. The taking of kingfish by rod and line is becoming quite common sport in the north, many persons coming to the Dominion for the purpose. There have been unusually large shoals of maumau in the north during the past summer, and fine catches have been made. The following persons have been appointed Inspectors of Sea-fishing, viz. : F. J. Flinn, H. T. Leydon, J. M. Irwin, and three members of the Police Force. Salmon. It is now two years since the last shipment of Atlantic salmon-ova was obtained from England, and I think it is advisable that another shipment should be procured next season. The fry from two shipments already made were liberated in Lake Te Anau for the purpose of stocking the Waiau River, but it is yet too soon for the fish to return from the sea, and therefore there is no evidence whether the attempt to introduce them has been successful. The only way to ensure success is to liberate the fry from several shipments of ova, as was done in the case of the quinnat salmon liberated in the Waitaki River, Last season 237,000 quinnat-ova were