H—ls

The annual totals by methods and the annual quantities of the four main varieties landed at Auckland over the past five years are given below:—

Thames. —The total this year, 17,105 cwt., shows a further recovery, the total this year being 4,070 cwt. over last year's total. Netting boats landed 14,960 cwt., of which 6,763 cwt. was snapper and 4,849 cwt. flounder. The methods of capture and the annual totals landed at Thames during the past five years are given below :

Tauranga.—The total catch for this year (13,763 cwt.) is almost double that for last year (7,086 cwt.). The one Danish-seine vessel operated for eleven months and landed 2,496 cwt., as against 1,526 cwt. for nine months' fishing last year. The one motor-trawler also fished for eleven months and landed 5,394 cwt., as against 1,817 cwt. last year. The tables below summarize the methods of capture and kinds of fish respectively landed during the last five years:—

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Method of Pishing. 1944. 1945. 1946. 1947. 194*. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Danish seine 105,37(5 97,608 96,990 90,824 86,191 Steam-trawl 1,929 19,553 36,964 45,309 41,982 Motor-trawl 172 39 8,637 Line-fishing (motor) 1,409 2,493 3,097 2,998 4,287 Net-fishing (motor) 2,303 3,092 4,125 3,050 1,580 1944. 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. Cwt, Cwt, Cwt, Cwt, Cwt, Total quantity landed 111,078 122,789 141,406 142,304 142,766 Snapper 79,844 81,706 93,792 101,470 110,911 Tarakihi 18,289 23,965 27,788 22,285 17,031 Flounder 1,857 2,047 1,457 3,036 396 Gurnard 3,206 5,570 7,370 6,199 5,139

Method of Fishing. 1944. 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. Danish seine Set-nets Lines Totals - Cwt. 1,273 18,361 57 Cwt. 582 16,483 180 Cwt. 9,552 1,272 Cwt. 12j 152 883 Cwt. 2,145 19,691 17,245 10,824 1 13,035 1 17,105

Method of Fishing. 1944. 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. Danish seine Motor-trawl Nets and lines Totals .. Cwt. 2,907 7,578 Cwt. 418 1,783 5,258 Cwt. 364 2,579 3,473 Cwt. 1,526 1,817 3,743 Cwt, 2,496 5,394 5,873 10,485 7,459 6,416 7,086 13,763 1944. 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. Total quantity landed Snapper Tarakihi Trevally Kahawai Cwt. 10,485 4,152 1,057 2,509 732 Cwt. 7,459 2,513 1,289 1,219 1,070 Cwt. 6,416 1,459 1,917 1,091 1,029 Cwt. 7,086 2,021 1,998 777 681 Cwt. 13,763 4,426 5,226 2,479 495