H.--44a.

particular unit. This limitation, however, can only be done by the markets concerned. Its equitable administration as a matter of Government regulation would be well-nigh impossible. Examination of Case for Seine Nets.—The usual case put up for the Danish seine as against trawling is that it destroys less small fish. Usually the towing-time of the trawlers given by the supporters of such an argument is four hours, and this is correct for large steam trawlers ; motor-trawlers of the size of the Danish seine boats only tow for one to two hours. The time occupied in hauling a Danish seine is from half to three-quarters of an hour, the actual time depending on the number of coils of warp used in the setting of the net. It is agreed that the Danish seine will land nore undersized fish on her deck from one set of her gear than will a trawler for the same period of operation on the same ground. It is also agreed that the greater proportion of the small fish landed by the seiner will be alive when emptied on the deck, whereas most of the trawl fish will be dead, due to the pressure exerted on them while being towed in the net. If the small fish were sorted out quickly and returned to the water, a great number would survive, but in practice (especially when there is no Inspector aboard) this is not the case. The marketable fish are sorted out and put in the pounds or baskets, the sorting being usually done by means of a spike attached to a short piece of wood, each fish both large and small being spiked as it is sorted from the heap. The small fish left 011 deck, which have been out of the water for some considerable time and have been roughly handled, are then shovelled over the side. We cannot see how any great proportion of such fish are likely to survive this treatment, more particularly in the hot weather. This destruction of small fish which habitually congregate in inshore waters is one of the reasons for keeping both seine boats and trawlers off inshore fishing-grounds. Further, the Danish seine method of fishing is too intensive, and if it can only be carried on under conditions which allow the vessels to fish right in on the beaches, then the sooner it is abolished altogether the better. These inshore grounds in shallow water can be worked successfully by other methods, such as long lining, and in the absence of seine boats operating in the same area this method of fishing can give satisfactory results. Again, where the bottom is suitable and the tides fit in with the working-time the seine boat can clean up too large a percentage of the fish in one area by working the gear systematically from the one base, so that if the fish are congregated for spawning or feeding the abstraction of the stock is excessive and this must ultimately lead to depletion. We have no particular brief for trawling, but the large steam trawlers which can operate in all except the worst weather can be kept offshore and still be made to pay, while the small trawler working on the grounds used by Danish-seiners cannot make such heavy abstractions from the fishery stocks. With regard to the Auckland Fishing District, taken widely as being from East Cape to North Cape, we have made our recommendations with the object of giving the seine boats as much sheltered water as possible while keeping them off the grounds of the local coastal fleets and enclosed waters. Perhaps we have not gone far enough in this respect, but we have weighed up each argument as fairly as possible, and we consider that our proposals will, while affording some protection to the inshore waters, still leave the seining fleet plenty of operating space. If the Auckland seining fleet cannot be made to pay under the circumstances, it is a greater argument in favour of the total abolition of Danish-seining as an intensive method of fishing suitable only for shallow inshore waters where operations can be conducted more or less in shelter. It may be advanced as an argument that any restriction of the operations will affect the supply of fish to the Auckland market, but such will not be the case. Auckland had a good supply of fish before seining came into operation, and would have a good supply for its own requirements if seiners stopped in, say, a year's time. If all the trawlers and line and set-net boats were working full-time and their catch going on to the local market, there would be no need for the landings of the seine boats. Only the export market makes their operations really worth while, and the minute there is, for any reason, any check on the export trade the stocks in frozen fish in Auckland start to accumulate. This has been proved by recent developments in the export trade, so that any restrictions should not affect supplies to the New Zealand consumers, which are the most important. It is the aim of our recommendations to protect these supplies and to ensure their continuity in the future. Whangarei. At Whangarei the Committee received strong protests against the continued operation of the Auckland Danish-seining fleet in the inshore waters of the Bay. These representations were made by the various local bodies and were supported by the fishermen. In effect, the evidece affirmed that Danish-seining had so depleted the fishing-grounds as to make it impossible for the fishermen to earn a reasonable living, and many were giving up fishing for other occupations or relief work. This evidence was borne out by the Honorary Inspector of Fisheries, who stated that the Whangarei fleet had declined progressively since the Danish-seiners commenced operations in this area, the figures being as follows : 1933, 16 boats ; 1934, 14 boats ; 1935, 11 boats ; 1936, 4 boats ; and for 1937 only 2 boats have operated with anything like continuity. The grounds which Whangarei fishing interests desire to have closed were used by these line-fishing vessels, and from them the local district always received a plentiful supply of fish. Now Whangarei has to get the bulk of its requirements of fish from Auckland, thus bringing about relatively high retail prices. The value of the fish landed in Whangarei has declined from £5,222 in 1932-33 to £1,827 in 1935-36. Fish is now so scarce that the line boats can no longer make a living. It was stated that these inshore grounds are nurseries, as tiny snapper are found in the masses of -seaweed some time after the schooling season. Representatives from Waipu tendered evidence along similar lines, and asked for protection. The Committee was also informed that the seine boats worked inside the present limits at night. One boat was reported to have had its numbers covered up when one of the witnesses rowed out and put a torch on it to see what boat it was. Wherever there are no limits the seiners work right in on the beach. When discussing the

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