FISHES. 



New South Wales has a known fish-fauna of not less than 

 550 species. Of these at least 250 are of a good, edible 

 character. By the term " edible " here, I mean as ex- 

 plained by me in my " Edible Fishes of New South Wales " 

 " all of those fishes which while not being of a noxious or 

 unpleasant character (such as Toad-Fishes, Porcupine-Fishes, 

 &c.) attain a marketable size, or else occur in sufficient 

 abundance to render them of use as adjuncts to our food 

 supply." It may be reasonably expected also that as time 

 goes on our already long list will receive many additions; 

 more particularly from the ranks of certain gregarious oceanic 

 or pelagic species which have thus far escaped observation 

 and record. However, we have no need to consider here any 

 possible additions. 



During the last few years an average annual amount 

 of not less than 10,000,000 to 12,000,000 Ib. of fresh fish 

 has passed through the fish markets, while, in addition, a 

 very large quantity (probably not less than 3,000,000 to 

 4,000,000 Ib.) was disposed of without passing through any 

 recognised market, and consequently without being recorded. 

 The most important kinds of those at present marketed are 

 as follows : Snapper, Black Bream, Blackfish, Whiting (Sand 

 and Trumpeter), Mullet (Sea, Flat-tail, and Sand), Jewfish, 

 Flathead. and Murray Cod.* More than nine- tenths of the 

 whole supply is obtained from the coastal estuaries and bays, 

 while the great ocean resources are practically untouched. 



As I have pointed out elsewhere f it does not follow that 

 fishes which are now of the greatest importance, will still occupy 

 that relative position in our future fisheries. Quite the reverse, 

 in fact, is the conclusion which a close study of our fishes 

 brings us to. There are many fishes which are not at present 



* With better facilities for transport, the Murray Cod industry is. 

 capable of enormous expansion. 



t " Edible Fishes of New South Wales " (1908), p. 9. 



