5 



of any special importance in the fisheries of New South Wales 

 — fishes which, though present in our coastal waters in incal- 

 culable numbers, are not usually captured unless they make 

 their appearance in the more restricted waters of our harbors 

 and estuaries ; that is, in other words, unless they practically 

 *' walk into the net." But, apart from these altogether, 

 those species at present of the greatest economic importance 

 in our fisheries, may be captured in quantities immensely 

 greater than those at present disposed of. 



I take it that in any country the people (with few excep- 

 tions) first make the acquaintance of inshore {i.e., estuarine 

 and harbor) fishes ; at least as a source of food supply. 

 This is governed largely by convenience ; as, so long as the 

 fishes can be obtained in sufiiciently large quantities at the 

 door — so to speak — there is no special incentive to go fariher 

 afield. In this connection, inshore fishes would really include 

 as well, such oceanic forms as at times swarm close along 

 our shoreline and actually throw themselves within the very 

 limited scope of the so-called " hauling-nets " or short seines. 



In New South Wales the domestic demand, as far as the 

 market demand'^ is concerned, is easily supplied with fishes 

 from the estuaries and bays. The actual portion of the New 

 South Wales coastline upon which netting is constantly 

 carried out is really astonishingly small. 



At certain times of the year, much larger quantities of 

 fine food-fishes, such as the well-known and important Sea 

 Mullet, for instance, would be brought in to market; as, in 

 many cases, only the fringe of the vast shoals is touched or 

 drawn upon; but, owing to a want of proper distribution — 

 on a really great and far-reaching scale, I mean — the fisher- 

 man is practically obliged, in his own interests, to refrain 

 from sending what he might, for fear of creating a " glut." 



* I purposely differentiate here between the market demand and 

 the actual, because a large proportion of our people really desire a 

 constant and regular fish supply most ardently, but because a com- 

 plete system of distribution has not yet been mastered, they have 

 practically or wholly to go without. 



