H.—ls.

The total quantity of fish landed in Wellington was 47,284 cwt., valued at £55,649, which represents an increase of 25 per cent, in weight and 1-4 per cent, in value compared with the previous year. Of this, 64 per cent, was provided by the two steam-trawlers, operating on the Cape Campbell, Kaikoura, and Palliser Bay grounds principally. Their total landings for the year remained much the same as for 1936-37. Increases were recorded in hake, groper, and red-cod landings, but the catches of barracouta, gurnard, and tarakihi showed a diminution. Tarakihi constituted 66-4 per cent, of the total landings. The fish-carrier " South Sea " visited Wellington on six occasions during the year and landed a total of 9,458 cwt. of blue cod, valued at £5,441, from the Chatham Islands. An increase of 992 cwt. is recorded in the quantity of fish shipped at the French Pass, which represents an increase of 39 per cent, of the total for the preceding year. While the groper landings have fallen off slightly in this district, blue-cod and snapper catches have shown a fairly substantial increase. The main features of the fishery conditions for other ports can be gathered from the appended tables. A considerable increase in the total quantity of fish landed in comparison with that of the previous year is shown in the figures for Dunedin and Otago district, the total having risen by 7,104 cwt., or 32-3 per cent. The landings at Thames are up by 3,245 cwt., or 21 per cent. ; Tim'aru, 2,881 cwt., or 22'6 per cent. ; Gisborne, 1,570 cwt., or 37-3 per cent. ; Invercargill (with Bluff, &c.), 1,473 cwt-., or 46 per cent.; French Pass, 730 cwt., or 38-2 per cent.; and Akaroa, 632 cwt. or 18-5 per cent. The most noticeable decreases occurred at the following ports : Auckland, 19,137 cwt., or 12 per cent. ; Napier, 2,046 cwt., or 13-1 per cent. ; Nelson and district, 1,391 cwt., or 24-8 per cent. ; Blenheim, 795 cwt., or 34-3 per cent. ; Kaikoura, 680 cwt., or 18-2 per cent. ; and Mercury Bay, 407 cwt., or 22-3 per cent. A decline of 3,622 cwt., or 23-7 per cent., is shown for Lyttelton, where the trawler catch fell by 24-7 per cent., which was due to a reduction in fishing operations consequent upon the loss of the steam trawler " Muriel." It should also be explained that in previous years the Lyttelton total included fish caught in Lake Ellesmere, which are now shown separately. At Dunedin, where the total landings showed a substantial increase, the catch by trawlers increased by 135-7 per cent, largely owing to the addition of the steam trawler " Hananui II " to the local fleet. The statement which follows indicates the relative importance of each of the principal methods of fishing for each port: —

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Port. ! Method of Fishing. (bv WdghtTcaught Principal Kinds of Fish caught by each Method I by each Method. (in order of Quantity). North Island. Awanui .. .. .. Lines .. .. 71-5 Snapper, groper. Set-nets .. .. 28*5 Mullet, flounder. Mangonui .. .. Lines .. .. 52 • 7 Snapper. Set-nets .. .. 47-3 Flounder. Whangaroa .. .. Lines .. .. 78-6 Snapper, groper. Set-nets .. .. 21-4 Mullet, snapper. Russell .. .. .. Set-nets .. .. 52 • 9 Mullet, snapper. Lines .. .. 47-1 Snapper, groper. Whangarei .. .. Lines .. .. 65*5 Snapper, groper. Set-nets .. .. 34-5 Snapper, mullet. Auckland.. .. .. Danish-seine .. 72-4 Snapper, tarakihi, flounder. Trawls .. .. 22-8 Tarakihi, snapper. Lines .. .. 2-4 Snapper, groper. Set-nets .. .. 2-4 Mullet, flounder, snapper. Thames .. .. .. Set-nets .. .. 72-8 Snapper, flounder, gurnard. Lines .. .. 15-8 Snapper, gurnard. Danish-seine .. 11 -4 Snapper, flounder, gurnard. Mercury Bay .. .. Lines .. .. 91-9 Snapper, tarakihi, groper. Set-nets and seine 8 • 1 Snapper, mullet, flounder. Tauranga .. . . .. Lines .. . . 66-3 Snapper, groper. Danish-seine .. 31*9 Snapper, flounder. Set-nets .. .. 1-8 Snapper, butterflsh. Whakatane .. .. Danish-seine .. 95-1 Snapper, tarakihi. Lines .. . . 4-9 Snapper, groper, tarakihi. Opotiki .. .. .. Set-nets .. .. 89 -1 Flounder, snapper. Lines .. .. 10-9 Snapper. Gisborne .. .. .. Trawl .. .. 69-4 Tarakihi, gurnard. Line .. .. 30*4 Groper, tarakihi. Set-nets or seine .. 0-2 Moki, flounder. Napier .. .. .. Trawl . . . . 58-4 Tarakihi, gurnard, sole. Lines . . .. 21-3 Groper, snapper. Danish-seine .. 20-1 Gurnard, sole. Set-nets or seine .. 0-2 Sole. Wellington .. .. Trawl .. .. 64-6 Tarakihi, hake, red cod. Lines .. .. 29-7 Groper, hake, ling. Set-nets or seine .. 5-7 Warehou, butterflsh. Makara .. .. . . Lines .. .. 55-7 Snapper, groper. Set-nets.. .. 44-3 Warehou, butterflsh. Paremata .. . . .. Lines . . . . 87-5 Groper. Set-nets .. .. 12-5 Butterflsh, warehou, moki. Paraparaumu .. . . Lines . . . . 94-0 Snapper. Set-nets . . . . 6-0 Butterflsh. Foxton .. .. .. Lines .. .. 70-1 Snapper Set-nets or seine ,, 29*9 Flounder, warehou.