H—ls

Mussels The catch of mussels in the Thames-Coromandel-Auckland area totalled 14,224 sacks this year ; of the balance, 186 sacks came from Tauranga and 4 from Napier. The table below shows the catch of mussels over the last five years :

Whitebait Fishery, 1948 Season

On the Waikato River the season was much the same as last year —that is to say, a poor one ; elsewhere it was extremely poor. Though the West Coast again supplied the bulk of the catch, the season here was very disappointing. The estimated total of 4,517 cwt. is a considerable drop on last year's total of 7,056 cwt. , Quinnat Salmon This season was again a good one compared with the standards prior to 1946. On the Waimakariri River the first netted fish was landed on 6th February. The two nets on this river took a total of 849 fish, compared with 983 last year.

27

■ — 1944. 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. Total quantity landed .. . 1 Sacks. 15,390 Sacks. 13,156 Sacks. 10,568 Sacks. 16,261 Sacks. 14,414

Number of Total Quantity Caught District. Principal Rivers Fished for Which Returns Were Received. Best Period. Fishermen (Approximately). Regular. Casual. (Approximately). Auckland f Waikato \ Raglan and Kawhia Harbour streams Sept. 120 I 60 Cwt. 881f 14 Bay of Plenty .. Kaituna, Tarawera, Rangitaiki, Waioeka, Otaro Sept. '39 io3 94£ Hawkes Bay Tukituki, Ngaruroro Sept. 53 90 14 Wairarapa Lake Onoke Mid. Sept. 2 6 2 Wellington Waikanae, Waimeha, Mangone, Otaki, Waiotahu, Ohau, Hokio, Manawatu, Kaikokopu, Rangitikei Nov. 69 170 431 Wanganui Turakina, Kai-iwi, Wanganui Nov. 4 10 4 Patea Waitotara, Whenuakura, Patea, Kakaramea Kaupokonui, Ohawe, Tangahoe, Waitara, Mokau, Waiongona, Awakino, Waiwakaiho, Mimi, Urenui, Te Heirni Mid. Sept. 20 62 27* Taranaki Oct. 8 290 22J Marlborough Wairau, Omaka, Opawa .. .. .. ' Oct.-Nov. 4 41 North Canterbury Waiau, Conway, Hurunui, Waipara 11 Christchurch Saltwater, Ashley, Waimakariri, Avon I 122 South Canterbury Rakaia, Orari, Opihi, Ashburton, Rangitata, Waitaki 57 (north bank) Otago Molyneux, Puerua, Taieri, Waipori, Kakanui, Shag, Sept.-Oct. 24 102 118| Waikouaiti, Tokomairiro, Tahakopa, Maclennan, Owaka, Catlins, Tautuku, Pleasant, Wainakarua, Waitaki (south bank) Southland Mataura, Titiroa, Oreti, Waihopai, Waimatuku, Aparima, Nov. 47 237J Waiau, and Big Bay (south-west coast) West Coast— Wataroa Maori, Haast, Karangarua, Okuru, Waiotahi, Turnbull, Cascade, Pox, Jacobs, Mahitahi, Parenga, Blue, Big Wanganui, Poerua, Wataroa 307 50 940 Hokitika Hokitika, Mahinapua, Arahura, Totara (Ross) 183 350 619 Greymoirth 1. Grey, New, Teremakau 38 320 225 Westport Karamea, Little Wanganui, Mohikinui, Ourawhaiti, 57 480 1,042 Buller, Totara 1 4,517