494 Transactions. 



fish to arrive at maturity. Whether this theory be accepted 

 in its entirety or not, it is very evident, from the floating nature 

 of the eggs of most marine fishes, and (locally) the close proxi- 

 mity of the spawning-area to the coast, that enormous numbers 

 of these eggs must be washed on shore and lost, or otherwise 

 destroyed. External fertilisation and consequent non-impreg- 

 nation will probably account for the loss of a large percentage, 

 and when we consider the vast hosts of enemies of the ova and 

 fry swimming at or near the surface of the water, we cannot 

 but conclude that it is during this helpless pelagic existence 

 that the great bulk of the destruction is brought about. It is 

 to compensate for this tremendous loss that natm'e has bestowed 

 upon most marine fishes such wonderful provision for the main- 

 tenance of their kind. The vast heaps of " whale-feed " {Grimo- 

 thea) cast up on the beaches at certain seasons of the year 

 provide a visible and easily appreciated example of the enormous 

 destruction that takes place in the early swimming stage of this 

 important fish-food. 



The waters around the New Zealand coast at the present 

 time abound with a varied and valuable assortment of edible 

 fishes. The fishing industry is as yet in its infancy, and it 

 cannot be said that overfishing is being done, except in certain 

 very limited areas, where, at any rate from local report, a 

 marked decrease in the number and size of such fish as the 

 flounder and blue-cod have been noted. It is chiefly amongst 

 such purely littoral and estuarian fishes that a diminution of 

 the supply may be expected as the result of human operations. 

 Trawling on the east coast is at present confined to within about 

 eight or nine miles from the land, and to about 24 fathoms of 

 water. The absence of offshore banks and relatively quick 

 shelving slopes around this part of the coast will probably tend 

 towards keeping many species within a few miles of the land. 

 The results of deep-sea trawlings will be awaited with interest, 

 as it is intended to exploit the deeper waters and trawl to a 

 depth of 100 fathoms. In the United States of America, large 

 numbers of trained men, termed spawn-takers, are employed 

 during the spawning season of the cod and other marine fishes. 

 These men accompany the long-line fishermen at this season, 

 and collect and fertilise the eggs of all the ripe fish that are 

 caught. These eggs are forwarded (often by rail) to the nearest 

 hatchery, where they are hatched, retained in the boxes as long 

 as possible, and then liberated where it is considered that they 

 are most likely to thrive. 



The present method of liberating these tiny larvae before 

 the yolk-sac has been absorbed is not at all satisfactory, and 

 there can be no question that a great improvement would be 



