THE FISHERIES LAWS. 31 



greater number o£ the adult fish are utilised and canned and often eaten here 

 as English salmon." 



I make this quotation to show that even where fish are caught in very- 

 large quantities and exported to all parts of the world as food, where this 

 process of consumption is rapidly going on, still it is easy to raise the supply 

 far in excess of the destruction caused by this mercantile use of fish. But 

 if, instead of making any provision whatever to keep up the supply of fish, 

 w^e from neglect allow the needless destruction of young fish and spawn, our 

 supplies according to this report will very soon dwindle away, and fish will 

 become a rare commodity in ovir markets. I have one other quotation to 

 make from the Commissioners' report. Under the head of " Protection of 

 our Fisheries " they say — 



" "We have pointed out the destruction at present constantly occurring of 

 the young fish and the spawn, and we recommend for their protection that 

 a close season shall extend from 1st April to 1st October in each year, in 

 which the use of all nets shall be prohibited within any bay, lake, or inlet of 

 the coast,' unless specially exempted by proclamation in the Government 

 Gazette ; that during the other six months the mesh of the nets used shall 

 not be smaller than li^- inch, measured diagonally, and that no prawn- 

 net shall be permitted to be used of greater length than fifteen fathoms. 

 We also advise that where fixed or stake nets are used for the capture of 

 fish they should be prohibited from being stretched completely across any 

 creek, river, or inlet, and that the minimum size of the mesh should be four 

 inches." 



The second part of the Bill gives power to grant leases under proper 

 regulations, and provides that in all cases fishing-boats shall be licensed. 

 Licenses are also to be issued for making private oyster-beds, and likewise 

 for dredging and for dealing in oysters. Penalties are also provided for 

 burning the oysters for the mere purpose of obtaining the lime — a practice 

 which is carried on extensively — and provision is made for the use of proper 

 appliances for the sea-carriage of oysters. Through inadvertence I have 

 given a description of the provisions of the Bill relating to the oyster 

 fisheries a little earlier than I intended. "With regard to the fish 

 generally, the Bill provides that a close season shall exist for those fish, 

 which are familiarly know to us as flathead, whiting, garfish, mullet, and so 

 forth, extending from the beginning of April to the end of September. It 

 then provides that the nets used shall have meshes of a width of not less 

 than 1\ inch, so that the small fish may escape. The meshes of stake nets 

 are not to be less than 4 inches in width. Then there are penalties for the 

 destruction of undersized fish, penalties to prevent the riddling of prawns 

 except in proximity to the waters from which they are taken, so that the 

 small fish caught in tbe prawn nets may be allowed to escape. There are 

 provisions for many other things. It is provided that in future no explosives 

 shall be used for the purpose of destroying fish. I have briefly explained 

 the general provisions of the measure, and I think that honourable members 

 will not hesitate to read the Bill a second time, and to lend their assistance 

 to improve its provisions in Committee. 



This Bill engaged the attention of Parliament from January 

 to April, 1881, its provisions being debated with the keenest 

 interest by a large number of the more prominent members 

 both of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. 

 The fisheries Act, 1881, with the exception of Part II 



