H.—2l

1915. NEW ZEALAND.

FISHERIES AT LAKES TAUPO AND ROTORUA (REPORT ON), FROM 1st JUNE, 1914.

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

Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, 26th July, 1915. Memorandum for the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs. I have the honour to submit my second annual report respecting the fisheries at Lakes Taupo and Rotorua. J. Hislop, Under- Secretary.

Work done during the Past Yeah. During the year just ended work in connection with the fisheries has been carried on systematically at Rotorua and Taupo. While, as in the past, the primary object has been the improvement of the fishing in the lakes, careful attention has been been paid to all phases of the work, which may be grouped under the following heads : (1) Destruction of ill-conditioned fish ; (2) marketing of fresh and smoked trout; (3) procuring fresh food-supplies ; (4) study of the worm parasite in trout; (5) destruction of shags ; (6) trout-hatchery. (1.) Destruction of Ill-conditioned Fish. Immediately after the close of the fishing season 1913-14 the work of thinning out illconditioned fish was again undertaken, and carried on from the 1st June to the 31st October. At Taupo the numbers taken and destroyed were greatly in excess of last year's totals, not on account of the fish being in poorer condition, but because the rivers being lower than usual better facilities for netting were provided. At Rotorua a greater number of fish was handled than during the same period of last year, but the majority being in much better condition than usual they were placed above the barriers to spawn. The total number taken and destroyed was — Number. Tons owt. qr. lb. Rotorua Lake ... ... ... ... ... 11,263 10 1 0 14 Taupo Lake ... ... ... ... 11,216 20 0 2 8 Totals ... ... ... ... 22,479 30 1 2 22 During the fishing season, 1st November, 1914, to 31st May, 1915, ill-conditioned fish taken from the fish netted for market and destroyed numbered— Number. Tons cwt. qr. lb. Rotorua Lake ... .. ... ... ... 3,678 10 13 118 Taupo Lake ... ... ... ... ... 1,563 6 19 3 19 Total ... ... ... ... 5,241 17 13 1 9 (2.) Marketing of Fresh and Smoked Trout. The following statements show the business of the open season 1914-15 at the Rotorua and Tokaanu Depots : — Number. Tons owt. qr. lb. Rotorua ... ... ... ... ... 28,460 18 3 3 6 Tokaanu ... ... ... ... ... 11,574 22 6 2 6 Total ... ... ... ... 40,034 40 10 1 12