THE SEA FISHERIES OF NEW ZEALAND.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 825, 1 February 1868, Page 2

THE SEA FISHERIES OF NEW ZEALAND.

A correspondent to Land and Watcr devotes a letter to colonial fishing, and writes as follows :—Under the impression that a few details of this kind may prove generally interesting, I shall occosionally send you jottings on “far off” fisheries, about which less is known than of the pursuits on our own shores and streams. It is to be regretted that so little attention has as yet been given to the prosecution of the fisheries on the numerous coasts and rivers of our southern colonies, especially in the Cape and Natal, New Zealand, and Australia. By all civilised and commercial nations—especially the English, the American, and the Dutch —the products of the sea have been accounted fully as important as those of the land ; because they not only afford cheap, nutritious, and abundant food to the people, but contribute largely, moreover, to the national resources and to the maintenance of a maritime ascendancy. In Australia and New Zealand attention has liithexto been so engrossed on sheep farming qnd agricultural operations and gold mining, that little has been done to reap the rich harvest of the sea. With such cheering examples. of prosperous industry and intelligence. everywhere pervading the land, we cannot but feel assured that the colonial fisheries will not be long overlooked. The riches of the sea will eventually engage as anxious a consideration as the riches of the land. It needs but a few boats’ crews to

make a systematic beginning to prove the large amount of wealth at present swimming unheeded on their coasts. Once engaged in such pursuits, we do not doubt that they will be found of so remunerative a character as to lead to a large and zealous competition .... Taking the Colony of New Zealand, in the first instance, let us see what fish are available, with its extensive coast-line of several thousand miles round the three islands. With the rapid progress of settlement, fishing and the curing of fish would soon become an important and profitable occupation, as there is every facility for it at present existing, and in Victoria and South America will always be found a ready market for the cured fish. Every bay and inlet of New Zealand abounds with fish. Amongst those most esteemed,* the abuka ranks first. It is generally of great size, but the flesh is of much delicacy of flavour. A considerable quantity of it is cured at the whaling stations for winter provision, and it is very fine. Two natives may often be seen carrying one of these fish along the beach of Weilington on a pole between them, and its weight, often up to 1001 b, is fully equal to their united strength. Next to the abuka in size as also in richness of flavour, is the moki, varieties of which are of all sizes, the largest weighing about 301 b. The kawai, or New Zealand salmon, is esteemed by many as equal to the European fish in excellence. It is of the same size, and much resembles it in appearance and taste. Great numbers of them are found in rivers into which the tide flows, but more are met with in fresh water. The native method of catching this fish is very simple. A hook made of bone, with a picee of the glistening shell of what is called locally the “mutton fish” (Haliotis iris) attached to it, hut without bait, is trailed at a short distance behind a canoe, which is being paddled with the greatest possible speed. The resemblance of the piece of shell in its rapid motion along the surface to a small fish causes the salmon to seize it with great avidity, and immense numbers are thus caught. The appearance of a fleet of canoes on the Wanganui river engaged in this fishery, together with the rejoicing of the tribe at its successful termination, has been described by Mr E. J. Waterfield, in his journal of a visit to that district, with much spirit and vivacity The baracouta and that the snapper are also esteemed. The latter is found of large size and in great quantities in all shoal water. The bream, ling, gurnard, herring, sale, rock cod, and a species of mackerel, are also in abundance, as are also many fish unknown elsewhere. Some dried mullet were shown at the first London' Exhibition, from New Zealand, and cured for China market, which wore sound, but not high flavoured. It has lately been satisfactorily proved that there are to be found on the New Zealand coasts numbers of fish hitherto supposed only to inhabit the northern hemisphere ....