H.—ls.

Whaling. Legislation to give effect to the International Whaling. Convention signed at Geneva in 1931, the objects of which Convention are set out in my report of last year, has been passed in New Zealand, and the necessary regulations have been prepared. The whaling-station at Tory Channel, the only one in operation in New Zealand at the present time, took fifty-seven whales during the 1935 season, giving a yield of 258 tons of oil, as compared with fifty-tvo whales with a yield of 260 tons during the previous season. The station at Whangamumu is still closed down. The market for oil has, both in the matter of demand and price, maintained the improved position shown during the previous year. I have, &c., L. B. Campbell, Secretary.

REPORT ON FISHERIES. Sir, — I have the honour to submit the following report on fisheries for the year ended 31st March 1936. From the annual returns which have been forwarded by local inspectors of fisheries the following summary has been compiled to show the estimated total quantity and value of the various classes of sea-products marketed, during the year :— Value. Quantity. £ Wet fish .. .. .. .. .. 363,448 cwt. 313,106 Whitebait .. .. .. .. .. 3,251 cwt. 24,267 Oysters (dredged) .. .. .. .. 49,712 sacks 31,070 Oysters (rock) .. .. .. .. .. 3,037 sacks 3,762 Mussels .. .. .. .. .. 10,092 sacks 2,643 Crayfish .. .. .. .. .. 6,580 cwt. 5,242 Toheroa (canned products) .. .. .. 72,2881b. 3,109 Whale-oil .. .. .. .. .. 258 tons 3'830 Quinnat salmon (netted fish only) .. .. 2,733 lb. 103 Total value .. .. .. .. £387,132 The detailed returns are summarized in Tables I to IV (pp. 40-43). Some increase is shown in the total landings and value of wet fish and of mussels in comparison with the returns for the previous year. Diminished yields are shown for the oyster —especially the rock oyster —industry and for the quinnat-salmon netting operations on the Waimakariri River. The crayfish returns show a slight fall, the total whitebait catch and the pack of toheroas a slight rise, and the production of whale-oil remains at very much the same figure as last year. With regard to the returns from individual fishing ports, Auckland shows the most marked increase in fish-landings, a total of 129,209 cwt. for 1935-36, compared with 102,313 cwt. for 1934-35. The total landings at Auckland of wet fish and of the two principal commercial kinds, snapper and flounder, for the last six years have been as follows :—

This year's total represents the second highest on record, having been exceeded only by the total for 1927-28, which was 134,040 cwt. In that year there were four steam trawlers working ; in 1935-36 there were three steam trawlers engaged, two during ten months and one during seven months out of the twelve. The outer grounds of the Hauraki Gulf were worked in every month except June ; the Bay of Plenty was visited in every month except November ; and the West Coast grounds were visited by an Auckland trawler during five months of the year now under review. This represents about twice the amount of trawling that was carried on last year. There has also been a further increase in Danish-seining operations, eight new boats, of greater tonnage and superior power to most of the older fishing craft of this type, having entered the industry during the year. These vessels now operate beyond the confines of the Hauraki Gulf to an increasing extent. The old type of benzine-engined fishing-launch working with lines and set nets is a very small factor in contributing to Auckland's fish-supplies'at the present time.

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1930-31. 1931-32. 1932-33. 1933-34. 1934-35. 1935-36. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Total quantity landed .. 104,098 83,753 82,758 91,512 102,313 129,209 Snapper .. .. .. 59,223 43,102 49,657 60,540 68,432 88,374 Flounder (including dabs) .. 2,549 4,201 10,452 6,607 6,550 7,560