H.—44a,

Drag-Nets. New Zealand. 32. That all nets, whether used from licensed vessels or not, be registered and checked by a fisheries officer. 33. That the possession of drag-nets having a mesh of less than 4 in., except where exempted for the catching of particular species of fish, be made illegal. 34. That the Fisheries Regulation No. 61 relating to nets used for the taking of other species of fish be altered so as to increase the mesh from 2J in. to 4 in. 35. That more adequate provision be made for the supervision of fishing in the district from Opotiki to Thames. Kaipara. 36. That the minimum size of the mesh of any drag-net (hand seine) used in Kaipara Harbour be 5 in. and that there be no exception to this rule—i.e., for bait-nets, &c. Special Nets. General. 37. Investigations should be made to establish the relation of the length to the age of the pilchard or sardine, with a view to the prevention of its capture before maturity either for bait or for any other purpose. 38. After the establishment of such length, experiments as to the size of the mesh of nets necessary to allow fish under such length to escape should be undertaken. 39. The possibility of the establishment of an industry in cured or canned pilchards should be examined, and if such industry appears possible it should receive assistance and protection. Line-fishing : Dan Lines and Windy Buoys. General. 40. That the number of windy buoys or dan lines be restricted to three for each man aboard the vessel 41. That the number of traces on each wmdy-buoy line or dan line be fixed at not exceeding six. 42. That the number of hooks on each trace shall not exceed thirty. Cook Strait Area. 43. That if the investigations recommended in regard to trawling prove that Palliser Bay is a nursery ground for groper, windy-buoy and dan-line fishing be prohibited in the same area as is closed to trawling. 44. That windy-buoy or dan-line fishing be prohibited all over the Cook btrait area during tfie months of May, June, and July. Line-pishing : Set-lines, Long Lines, and Hand-lines. French Pass and Sounds. 45. That investigations be undertaken as soon as possible to obtain definite information as to the quantity of undersized fish taken on the various sizes of hooks and the additional mortality or injury caused by hooks of small size. If this data shows that the use of these small hooks is detrimental to the fishery, they should be prohibited in these waters. 46. As it is believed that certain boat-owners (not fishermen) evade the regulation dealing with the size limit of blue cod by filleting the undersized fish before landing, steps should be taken either to curb this practice or to evolve some method by which the size of the fish from which the fillet was taken can be accurately stated. 47. It should be made imperative for every hired launch taking fishing parties m the bounds district to have the extracts of the blue cod regulations as issued free by the Marine Department prominently displayed aboard the vessel. 48. If it is possible to so legislate, tlie fisli on board any boat should be legally denned as being in the possession of the master of such boat. Blue Cod. Foveaux Strait. 49. The Committee recommends that the size limits for blue cod as set out in the regulations gazetted on 2nd April, 1936—-i.e., that the length of the blue cod, in its natural state, shall not be less than 13 in. and not less than 10f in. when properly headed—be enforced m this area. Crayfish. 50. That the legal size of crayfish be fixed at 9 in. in length. 51. That it be made illegal to take or sell female crayfish carrying external ova. That it be made illegal to remove the ova (berries) from any female crayfish prior to either wholesale or retail sale.

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