H.—2l

1914. NEW ZEALAND.

FISHERIES AT LAKES ROTORUA AND TAUPO (REPORT ON), FROM 1st JUNE, 1913.

Presented to botli Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, 24th June, I!U4. Memorandum for the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs. , 1 havk the honour to submit herewith a report respecting the fisheries at Lakes Rotorua and Taupo since Ist June. 1913, the date this Department took charge. J. Hislop, Under-Secretary. Work ourinu the Past Sear. EaRLY in 1913 the Government decided that the administration of the inland fisheries, which had until then been undertaken by the Marine Department, the Tourist and Health Resorts Department, and the Internal Affairs Department, should be transferred to the Internal Affairs Department, in order that a comprehensive policy might be inaugurated in respect to this valuable asset to the country under one Ministerial head. On tin' Ist June. 1913, this change was made. While the Department has co-operated with acclimatization societies throughout the Dominion in order to assist the sport generally, it was recognized that the work of paramount importance to be undertaken was the improvement of the condition and size of the fish in Lakes Kotorua and Taupo, where the lisb had greatly deteriorated. Prompt measures were therefore at once taken to reduce the numbers in the lakes as far as possible. The work undertaken to (late in the thermal regions may be grouped under the following heads: (1) Destruction of ill-conditioned fish; (2) placing fresh and smoked trout on the market; (3) procuring fresh food-supplies for trout in Lakes Kotorua and TaupOj (1) study of the worm parasite in trout; (5) destruction of shaos : ((it clearing mouths of streams iitnning into Lake Kotorua of weeds. (1.) Destruction of 111-conditioned Fish. The Tourist Department last year had killed oil a very considerable number of ill-condi-tioned fish, and similar work was energetically pursued by this Department this past year. The procedure w as as : — Lake Botorua: On Lake Rotorua the fish were taken by means of harriers in two of the larger rivers, and by hetting-traps and drag-nets in the other streams. Lake Taupo: The rivers running into this lake tire not suitable for the erection of barriers; the fish were therefore caught by means of traps and drag-nets. From June, 1913, to the 31st Mn\ . [914, the total number of ill-conditioned fish taken on each lake and destroyed was as follows: — Number. T Wei f ht .. Tons cwt. qr. lb. Kotorua. ... ... ... ... 18,271 I!) 6 0 25 Taupo ... ... ... ... ... 2,830 413 1 (i Total ... ... ... ... 21,101 23 111 2 3 (2.) Placing Smoked and Fresh Trout on the Market. Kotorua trout : With a view to reducing the number of trout in Lake Kotorua netting operations were carried out by the Department during the whole of the present fishing season, large hauls being made daily. Moth the fresh and smoked fish have found a ready market in Auckland and Rotorua. Taupo trout: With a view to reducing the number of fish in this lake also, netting has been carried on during the season with very successful results, a ready sale being found for the Taupo trout in Wellington, while several large orders from Christchuroh and smaller orders from farther south have been dealt with with every success.