THE FISHERIES OF NEW SOUTH WALES 

 PRESENT AND POTENTIAL* 



BY 



DAVID Q. STEAD. 



FOREWORD. 



WHEN one thinks of fisheries, he naturally conjures up 

 fishes ; as, although in certain restricted localities, it might 

 not apply, speaking generally, fishes are by far the most 

 important product of the sea ; and there is no doubt in my 

 mind, that our economic fishes will always occupy at least 

 the same position of importance in relation to other branches 

 of our fisheries, as they do to-day. It may be at once rightly 

 assumed, however, that the value and importance of the 

 present fisheries of the State of New South Wales are practi- 

 cally as nothing compared to the vast possibilities which 

 the future holds. One would really expect this to be so in 

 any country where (apart from the freshwater) as in New 

 South Wales, practically only the resources of the estuaries 

 had been tapped ; and even those but slightly. I mean by 

 that, that he would expect it even without the possession of 

 any specific knowledge as to the kinds and quantities of 

 fishes, &c., inhabiting our coastal ocean waters; and, judging 

 by analogy he would be quite justified in his expectations. 



The present fisheries of New South Wales embrace within 

 their scope (i) Fishes, (2) Crustaceans, (3) Mollusks, and 

 (4) Cetaceans (whales and dolphins) ; to these should be 

 added in the near future, Sponges and Seaweeds or more 

 properly Marine Algae. Of the two branches here mentioned 

 as not yet exploited, our seaweeds, I think, may probably 

 take the more prominent position. 



*Presidential address read before the New South Wales Naturalists' 

 Club under the authority of the Board of Fisheries for New South Wales, 

 on the 5th August, 1909. 



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