. . ArsTKAi.iAX Fisiii-:kii-:s. 



of ' this" 'rich" cQiuitry the fishing industry was not only 

 nQgU-.irh^cl ov/t^yen despised as a vocation, but nu cnconrage- 

 mtrit 'Oi- 'facilities presented themselves, for the few 

 that endeavoured to make a living by fishmg. To this 

 should be added the very important circumstance that the 

 nature of the fisheries themselves did not lend itself to 

 expansion in proportion to tne growth of the population. 

 The industrv. which some 50 or 60 years ago might have 

 reasonably satisfied the requirements of at least the coastal 

 population, soon reached its natural maximum of produc- 

 tivity, and it is now allogether inadetiuate for the increased 

 need of the people. The latter statement needs no further 

 proof than mention of the fact that the annual catch in the 

 two principal States (Xew South Wales and X'ictoria) 

 amounts only to about 9 lbs. per inhabitant. The explana- 

 tion hereof is that the existing fisheries are almost without 

 exception carried out in coastal waters, lakes, and river 

 estuaries, etc., which are limited both in nunil^er and extent; 

 and the fish found in these places arc peculiar to the coastal 

 region, and, with slight exceptions, they do not occur in 

 the open ocean or at a greater depth than a f.'w fathoms. 



Through recent economic developments, the conditions 

 of fife in Australia have greatly changed. Rapid means of 

 communication have been provided, and cool storage 

 generally introduced; but of equal or greater importance 

 is the increased cost of living, occasioned largely through 

 the export trade to Europe. A further circumstance is the 

 increasing concentration of the people in large coastal 

 centres, attracted 1)}- the estaljlishment of factories or 

 simply a love for city life. 



All of this has not only rendered the situation favoral)lc 

 for develo])ment of the fishing industr}', !jut it has become 

 an urgent necessity to provide an ample fish su])ply avail- 

 able at moderate prices in order to augment the less expen- 

 sive foodstuffs, and satisfy the constantly increasing 

 demand. Fish is at present a luxur\- that onl\- a few can 

 afford, and is frec|uently uncilitainaMe. 



Realising the seriousness of tlie situation, several of the 

 States have from time to time made efforts to ascertain 

 whether deep-s?a fisheries, as existing in other ])arts of the 

 world, might not also be developed in Australian waters, 

 and trawling has mainly l)een relied ui)on. 



Hut llu'se ])reliminary ex])erinH-nts were not calculated 

 to tln-ow much light on tlu' subject, for each of them were 

 too sliorl-lived. ;m(l otherwise incijmi)lete, to solve so vast 



