H—ls

It is hoped shortly to give similar training (on a contributory basis, as regards costs) to junior officers of the South Island Societies, and later to extend this training, if asked for, to the remaining North Island districts. Fish-pass Regulations. —These regulations are chiefly useful in ensuring advance consideration of fisheries interests when the damming of any stream is proposed. The most important project considered during the year was the proposed damming of the Hinemaia River to provide electric power for Taupo. Because a thorough survey showed that the proposed dam would be constructed near where natural falls prevent acsess of spawning trout from Lake Taupo, permission to proceed without building a fish-pass was granted. While the Crown is not bound by such regulations, both the Hydro-electric Department and the Mines Department co-operate by ensuring advance consultation with fisheries officers in projects coming within their spheres. Angling Access.' —Attention is drawn to the fact that existing legislation does not prevent all alienation of lake shores and stream banks to which the public have often long enjoyed at least courtesy access. A serious weakness in the otherwise valuable provisions of the Land in Counties Subdivision Act, 1946, was the exception of Maori lands. Further, land not being subdivided or not in a county is unaffected. There are no satisfactory provisions in existing legislation for acquiring, for public use, land excluded from this Act. It seems desirable in the interests of the tourist trade and in the interests of the public generally, apart from anglers, that to the maximum extent feasible lake shores and river banks should become or remain public property. Forestry holdings present a special problem. Their value is so great that it is unreasonable to expect State or private owners to jeopardize these holdings by permitting entry of anglers during dry periods. A partial solution might be to permit entry during a limited time at the opening of each angling season when, under normal weather conditions, the fire risk might be negligible. The only feasible long-term solution would appear to be the reservation, from forestry usages, of a reasonable width of land bordering streams and lakes. Technical Advisory Services. —The reference to the Fisheries Branch of many technical problems of fisheries management by Acclimatization Societies, by the Department of Internal Affairs and, to a lesser extent, by private individuals continues. This advisory service is given by technical officers of the administrative staff and is not permitted to interfere with the work of the research staff. In practice it is found that most of the problems submitted can be answered satisfactorily on the basis of experience or from literature available in the Branch's well-stocked library. The maintenance of a good library, both for this purpose and for the use of the research staff, is essential. Since publication of fisheries bulletins was resumed following the war there has been a very big inflow of exchange literature and a gratifying extension of the list of institutions with which the Department exchanges technical publications. Quinnat Salmon Fisheries. —The runs of quinnat salmon in all major east coast South Island snow rivers appear to be well maintained. In the last ten years or so this species has shown an increasing tendency to populate as well some of the lesser streams such as the Ashley and Ashburton. Early in 1949 reports from Westland suggested strongly that this species had spread by natural dispersion to the Taramakau River, between Hokitika and Greymouth. It has been arranged for observations to be made by a biologist. This species of salmon was originally introduced at the expense of the public. It was established first in the Waitaki River, whence it has spread to other waters. Runs have never developed sufficiently to justify the original hopes that a substantial canning industry might be developed. The practice has been to permit any holders of angling

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