H.—ls.

much better results than in 1936. Floods also interfered with fishing in Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, and Nelson, and, though to a less extent than usual, in South Westland. Canterbury, Otago, and Southland experienced favourable conditions for fishing, and catches were generally up to the average of recent years and decidedly better than in 1936. Once more airplane transport was utilized for the carriage of whitebait from South Westland to Dunedin. There is more variation from year to year in this fishery than in any other, with the possible exception of that for salmon. Like salmon-fishing, whitebaiting operations are very dependent on conditions of weather and water. Also, like salmon, whitebait appear mysteriously from the sea more or less at their appointed times, and the " runs " of both vary from year to year. In both cases favourable conditions for fishing-operations bring about a smaller escapement of fish to be the potential parents of future generations ; but we have no accurate conceptions as to the optimum amount of escapement that is required for the maintenance of the stock. We have prescribed a somewhat copious set of regulations, which are modified from time to time, in the attempt to place competing fishermen on a more or less level handicap and to ensure that a proportion of the runs of whitebait survive to reproduce the species ; and for this latter purpose the worst weather would appear to have a more potent effect than the best regulations. In many respects the administrative control of the whitebait fisheries still leaves much to be desired ; it would be more to the point to say much to be done. The only path to better administrative control is by making better contacts with the material factors in the fishery—the operating fishermen in the first place, but also with the natural conditions or the ecological factors that also have a say in deciding the " to be or not to be " question for the whitebait species. There is abundant evidence of the general decline of whitebait stocks as time goes on, though ups and downs are shown from year to year. We have no comprehensive statistical data on which to draw to demonstrate how we stand in this respect. The figures for the whitebait commercially handled at Hokitika, which have been carefully recorded over the past eleven years, may serve to indicate the trend. Beginning with 1927 and ending with 1937, the successive annual totals are 925, 463, 1,319, 914, 360, 1,570, 309, 880, 580, 243, and 535 cwt. It is significant that the average for the first five years is 798 cwt-., and for the second five years 716 cwt., a fall of 10 per cent, and last season's total is considerably below the average for the preceding five years. The radius of operations has certainly extended. The satisfactory elucidation of these conditions calls for much more detailed information than we possess at present. The information that is most urgently required in the first place is a statistical record of the production of the fishery —in other words, of the abstractions from the stock by direct human agency. This implies more administrative contact with and control of those operating the fisheries. Those whitebaiters who are seriously interested in this fishery as an occupation, and who are concerned about its maintenance, are practically unanimously in favour of a licensing system for whitebait fishing ; and the sooner this is established the sooner will the Department be in a position to get a proper understanding of what is necessary for whitebait-conservation and able to do something constructively to ensure it. This idea was first advocated at least six years ago, but was not pre'ssed for two main reasons, both arising out of the conditions of financial depression that then prevailed. One was the knowledge that there would be many who would find it difficult to raise the necessary cash for the fee and the other was the fact that any expansion of departmental activity was precluded by the curtailment of financial appropriations at that time. At the present time there would appear to be two quarters from which opposition to a license system for whitebait fishing may be expected. One is the amateur whitebaiter who regards whitebait fishing as a desirable accompaniment to a picnic and may even consider it a form of " sport," but likes to make it payable if he can. If such whitebaiters are to be allowed to continue their " sport " they might either take out the same license and conform to the same conditions as the commercial fisherman, or else be compelled to use less effective fishing methods and be subject to a " bag " limit as is the case with other sport fishing. The prescription of whitebait-fishing licenses for Maoris may also be difficult and, in some cases, a policy that is open to question, though there are many Maoris who are among the keenest advocates of the license system. Some Natives, however, are inclined to regard any administrative restrictions on whitebait fishing as an infringement on their ancient rights and their acknowledged heritage. The answer to these is that measures for the conservation of fishery resources were not only in use but very much more strict and effective in the ancient days than they are at the present time ; and fishery regulations, far from being a menace to their heritage, are the only means by which it may be saved for future generations. Quinnat Salmon. Hatchery operations at Hakataramea for the 1937 season began with the construction of the usual rack across the Hakataramea River a few chains above its confluence with the Waitaki. This was started on Ist April and completed by 6th April. In the early stages conditions were unfavourable for the running of salmon as the Hakataramea River was abnormally low, while the main river was in high flood, so that there was no deep channel with a good flow of water to induce fish to run up the tributary. The small average size of the earliest fish to be trapped was probably due to these conditions. It was not until 15th April that the first two pairs of salmon came up to the rack, and the total number of fish trapped during the month of April was considerably lower than in the two preceding years. The numbers of fish and eggs taken were as follows : —

5—H. 15.

33

Males. Females. Ova. April (15th to 30th) .. .. .. 72 38 143,000 May (1st to 14th) .. .. .. 303 216 857,000 375 254 1,000,000