H—ls

Totals for the principal classes of fishery products exported for the past three years are given below :

The following table shows the incidence of the principal kinds of fish exported for the year 1945 (the previous year's figures are given in parentheses):—

The above seven species represent 80-35 per cent, of the total weight of frozen fish exported and 73*8 per cent, of the total value. The balance of the frozen-fish exports were made up of a very large number of species of fish. Sardines The landings of sardines at Picton again showed a decline, from 4,281 cwt. in 1944 to 1,458 cwt. The pioneering work of locating the fish in due season and in worth-while quantities was carried forward and records kept of the conditions found. Fish-liver Oil This is a very important side of the industry and 1945 showed appreciable advances in the quantity of livers handled. The figures for 1945 were : Fish livers treated, 564,397 lb. ; and fish-liver oil produced, 25,023 gallons. A total of 22,007 gallons of fish-liver oil was exported. This amount included a carry-over of stock from the previous year. The two companies which hold licenses from the Bureau of Industry to engage in the occupation have explored every avenue for supplies and set up or arranged for collecting stations wherever the possible supplies warranted such action. Whaling Four vessels with a total complement of nine men were engaged in the whale-fishing based on Marlborough Sounds and fourteen men were employed ashore at the whalefactory. A total of 107 whales, all hump-backs, were taken, and these yielded 750 tons of oil and about 100 tons of bone-dust. The first whale was taken on 4th June and the last on 10th August. July was the month in which most whales were captured. From the dates supplied it will be seen that the whales were again late in making their appearance, but the catch was appreciably better than last year, when the total number of whales was only 88.

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Quantity. Value. 1943-44. 1944. 1945. 1943-44. 1944. 1945. Oysters, fresh Fish, frozen Crayfish, frozen Fish, smoked, dried, &c. Fish and shell-fish (tinned) Total values .. 424 doz. 16,438 cwt. 2,754 cwt. 285,221 lb. 21,100 doz. 16,628 cwt. 1,921 cwt. 3,319 cwt. 181,3381b. 640 doz. 22,663 cwt. 1,346 cwt. 4,276 cwt. 371,776 lb. £ 20 70,019 16,574 24,072 £ 578 73,500 6,608 20,476 25,814 £ 18 104,046 6,462 26,390 50,465 110,685 126,976 187,381

Fish. Quantity. Value. Cwt. Cwt. £ £ Blue cod 7,644 (3,530) 38,682 (18,117) Red cod 3,255 (1,104) 3,255 (3,046) Barracouta 2,369 (3,786) 8,883 (14,014) Soles .. .. ' .. 2,207 (1,394) 11,452 (7,119) Tarakihi 1,037 (959) 4,895 (4,030) Flounder 947 (762) 5,374 (4,142) Snapper 752 (1,029) 4,244 (6,044)