Fisheries.

Scarcely any country is better supplied by Nature with fish than New Zealand, yet it can hardly be said that the fishery industry is" established on a satisfactory basis. There is a very large importation of preserved fish into the colony both from America and England. In 1881 we imported dried, pickled, and salted fish to the value of £8,613, and potted and preserved fish to the value of £42,473. The duty on the former is 2s. per cwt., and on the latter, 1d. per lb. Our export of New Zealand fish in 1884 was insignificant, reaching only a total of £299. Yet frozen fish have been successfully Carried to London, and great hopes were raised that a market might be page 76 found there. If it be true that all the weight and influence which was brought to bear in establishing the Fisheries Exhibition in London, and in endeavouring to break down the monopoly of the London Fishmongers, extending over the whole kingdom, was unsuccessful in effecting its object, then I fear we cannot hope much from a fish trade, with the United Kingdom. The acclimatization of salmon has been "many times attempted, with partial success; but the result so far should not be discouraging. The Secretary of the Auckland Acclimatization Society says, "From what is known of the habits of the Californian salmon it is certain that the young fish make their way down to the sea shortly after hatching, and remain in the sea or estuaries for several years; sometimes, however, making short runs up the rivers. They do not appear to be fit for reproduction until about four years old, when they proceed up the rivers to deposit their ova. From this it is obvious that for four years after the hatching of the ova we could hardly expect to see much of the fish. Again, although the fish hatched from seventy or a hundred thousand ova might amount to a good round number, yet, when we consider the enemies which, like the fry of all fish, they would have to contend with, first in the fresh water streams and later when they reached the sea, there can be no doubt that the number spared to reach maturity would be small, perhaps so small that they might proceed up a large river without being observed. It must also be remembered that any number of young fry might go down the river to the sea without attracting much attention, as they would be confounded with the whitebait and other small fish so common in our rivers. But when the adult fish ascend the rivers then we may expect to hear something of the salmon. Taking the breeding age of the Californian salmon at four years, this would not be until eight years after the importation of the ova. It is well to mention that the facts relating to the importation of the British salmon into Tasmania' strongly corroborate this view. Salmon ova were brough from Britain, hatched in a suitable establishment on the Derwent River, and turned out into the stream. For years nothing was heard of the fish, and most people believed the introduction a complete failure. After the lapse of ten years a few grilse were caught in the lower part of the river. The next year they were abundant, and have been page 77 steadily increasing ever since. Evidently the mature fish from the original ova had passed up and clown the river unnoticed, and it was not until their progeny became mature that the fish were observed." There are, altogether, 192 different kinds of fishes found in New Zealand waters, some of them very rare and only described from single specimens. Of 140 species enumerated by Dr. Hector, sixty-seven are peculiar to New Zealand, seventy-five are common to the coast of Australia, ten are found in New Zealand and other places but not in the Australian seas.

The following is a list of the various kinds of fish found in the New Zealand market, taken, with some remarks, from the able work of the American Consul, Mr. Griffin, and from Dr. Hector's report: Hapuku, kahawai, red schnapper, schnapper, tarakihi, trumpeter, moki, frost-fish, barracouta, horse mackarel, trevally, kingfish, John-dory, boarfish, warehou, mackarel,. rock cod, gurnet, mullet, sea mullet, wrassy (spotty), butterfish, haddock, red cod, whiting, ling, turbot, brill, flounder, sole, garfish, grayling, smelt, hokopu, minnow, sand-eel, anchovy, pilchard of sardine, sprat, eel (tuna), black-eel, conger-eel, silver-eel, leather jacket, smooth-hound, stingaree, skate.

Of these fish, the hapuku is always a great favourite. It bears a striking resemblance to the celebrated Murray cod, of the rivers of Australia. The hapuku, however, never enters fresh water; but is a deep-sea fish, although often captured near the coast. Its average weight is about 45lb. Specimens have been caught weighing 130lb. The head and shoulders are described as being very delicious. The kahawai, often called the native salmon, afford great sport to anglers. They sometimes weigh between 7lb. and 8lb.; but the meat is dry in the large size. In the early stage of their growth they are spotted like the trout. The schnapper is another very valuable fish. It frequents shallow water, and is caught with hook and line. Its average weight is from 4lb. to 5lb., in some parts running to 10lb. and 15lb. in weight. It is remarkable for its abrupt profile, and the brilliant metallic lustre of its scales. The trumpeter is the best flavoured of all the New Zealand fish, and is very abundant. It is also found in Tasmania and Victoria. The frost-fish is often met with in the market. It is not obtained by fishing, but is found, after cold frosty page 78 nights, cast up on the shore by the long roll of the ocean-swell. The barracouta is so called from its resemblance to the barracouta-pike of the tropical parts of the Atlantic. There are three or four kinds of flat-fish, all of which are of fine flavour. The patiki, one of these, is very common. The Maoris spear them in clear shallow water. The flesh is tender and delicious. There are some excellent freshwater fish, such as the upokororo (the Native name of the grayling), the kokopu, the family of Galaxidæ, Mangawai smelt, and others. Dr. Hector, in his report on the food-fishes of New Zealand, says of the kanae (Mugil permit), grey mullet: "This mullet excels all other New Zealand fishes in richness, and is now dried and smoked in large quantities for sale in Auckland, where several extensive establishments also exist for tinning this fish. In this form it is highly esteemed, rivalling the American tinned salmon in the market."

The Bill now before the House provides bonuses, namely, for the first 200 tons weight of colonial cured and canned fish, 1d. per pound, and in respect of every extra ton over the first 200 tons, a bonus of id per pound. The Bill also provides for setting apart land-on the coast-line as sites for fishing-vallages; and for conferring certain privileges upon persons entering into the fishing industry; This Act passed, and is now law.

An excellent letter on the subject has just appeared in the New Zealand Mail, from the pen of Mr. A. J. Rutherford, in which he gives returns of the value of the United States fisheries, as under: Oyster fishery, $13,439,000; cod fishery, $4,000,000; Pacific salmon fishery, $3,300,000; whale fishery, $2,636,000; Menhaden fishery, $2,117,000; Alaska, for seal, $1,541,000; mackarel, $1,501,000.

Mr. J. McKenzie, who was commissioned by a Scotch firm of merchants, states "that he found plenty of firm, delicate fish in the Firth of the Thames, near Auckland; northwards he found schnapper, mullet, kahawai, and bream of fine quality. Kaipara Harbour was swarming with the largest and finest mullet in the world. On the coast-line between Kaipara Heads and New Plymouth large shoals of schnapper, mullet, and kahawai are to be found during some portions of the year. Off Kapiti and Main, near Wellington, groper, moki, rock-cod, crayfish, kelp-fish, and butter-fish were found. At Picton Sounds fish page 79 were in teeming myriads. The most abundant fish is the Picton herring, which is not a true herring, neither is it a true pilchard; but it is a good fish, and adapted for tinning and curing; and, as it is found here in immense quantities, it could be so' cheaply procured that the export trade in this article alone should rival in a few years the herring trade from the north of Scotland. Of course, this fish, as well as the herring tribe, is migratory; but fishermen would soon find out its habits, and follow it round from station to station, as is done with the Scotch herring. Groper, mold, ling, and crayfish were also found near to Cape Farewell on the west side. From Martin's Bay to Oamaru fish was in such numerous shoals, in-shore and off-shore, that millions of tons of fish could be caught yearly. It is simply a question of proper appliances, and finding out the best and quickest modes of catching the fish; for the fish are there in countless millions, and natural harbours abound from Milford Sound to Oamaru. The Sound swarms with blue cod, moki, trumpeter, rock-cod, and crayfish; and off-shore are great quantities of ling and groper. Ruapuke Isles, off Bluff Harbour, in Foveaux Strait, swarms with moki and trumpeter. Chasland's Mistake, on the mainland, commands splendid moki fishing-grounds, and also blue-cod, rock-cod, and trumpeter fishing. And here barracouta were met with all the way northwards to off Oamaru; but off Cape Saunders and Otago Heads seems to be a general gathering-ground. The kinds of fishes that can be obtained in large quantities cheaply and fit for export trade tinned, wet-and dry-salted, and smoke-dried are—Picton herring, in Cook Strait; groper, ling, barracouta, crayfish, cockles, flounders, trevally, silver-fish, mullet, kelp-fish, gurnet, and about twenty other varieties, including a kind of mackarel, abound on the coast of both Islands; and tinning and curing factories would use all in their season, if ever established. But the other kinds, along with schnapper and large mullet of the North Island, are kinds to make the large trade with; and no other country in the world has such a variety, and distributed round its coasts so well."

It is proposed to establish fishing stations at Pelorus Sound, Queen Charlotte Sound, and Port Underwood; and certainly no lack of consideration of the important subject of fisheries can be attributed to the Government of the colony. Whether the onsideration has taken a practical form is another matter.

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Four species of oysters inhabit the coasts of New Zealand. Of these, the most important is the common rock-oyster, confined almost to the northern half of the North Island. These are largely sent to the southern ports of the colony; and the amount consumed in the district of Auckland would probably not equal that shipped to the southern districts. There have been several Acts passed for the conservation of the oyster fisheries, from 1866 to 1874; but, while all deplore the reckless way the oyster-grounds are depleted, no systematic endeavour has yet been successfully made to regulate the taking of oysters.

Whaling was, in the early days, an important industry to the colony; but it has so decreased and given way to other branches, and is so unlikely to be revived to any extent, that it does not call for much notice. In 1871 the highest return for whalebone and oil seems to have been reached, when £21,700 worth was exported; in 1882 the value was £4,541; in 1884 it rose to £7,414.

Whitebait is a delicious little fish, found in almost unlimited quantities on .the west coast of the Middle Island, and in some rivers on the East Coast. It was at one time taken in such profusion that it was used for manure. But this, barbaric waste has been stopped, and it is doubted whether the supply is not diminishing. A good deal is sent away by steamers to people residing in the North Island, and an attempt has been made to preserve it, but not with any great success, so far as finding a remunerative sale is concerned. No doubt much information has been collected by the Government upon this important subject of fisheries; and it rests with them, or local governing bodies, to stimulate enterprise by practical assistance, by aiding in the importation of salmon and trout ova, and by providing the necessary skill in promoting its preservation and development. Mr. McKenzie says, in his report, "As a central station for fish-curing and fish-tinning, Stewart Island seems to me to be one of the most suitable places in the world. It commands the best in-shore and off-shore fishing-grounds in the colony. Saw-dust, the proper ingredient for smoking, can be obtained in abundance, for taking it away. There is plenty of timber and water. All that is wanted is population to supply the labour for tinning and curing factories, and a market for the preserved and cured fish. If capital, aided by Government subsidy, will start page 81 operations here, Stewart Island will he one of the wealthiest provinces of the colony."