194 FISHES 



It is almost inconceivable that they have perished at sea. Other 

 species of Salmonidse thrive in the sea and growr to a great size, 

 periodically returning to the rivers to spawn. It has been suggested 

 that the fish has changed its habits and that it spawns at sea, but there 

 is not a trace of evidence in favour of such an improbable theory. 

 It has also been suggested that the fish migrate to other shores, but 

 if so — ^where ? 



What has been wanted all along in this work of acclimatisation 

 of new species in New Zealand has been some sort of scientific 

 supervision and co-operation. Every centre and society went on its 

 own way, independent, as a rule, of every other. There never has 

 been in the country an organised fishery department. The result has 

 been waste of money and effort right along the line. Had experiments 

 in fish-marking been carried out systematically from the commence- 

 ment of operations, it is probable that ere this we would have been 

 in possession of information as to our missing salmon. Until some 

 such regular work is undertaken the subject will remain a mystery. 

 It may not be solved even after fish-marking has been undertaken 

 for years, but the strong probabilities are that light would be thrown 

 on the problem. Up to the present nothing has been done to trace 

 the fish when they go to sea. 



The following extract from a letter written by Mr Youl to the 

 Superintendent of Otago before any salmon were introduced, is not 

 only very interesting, but it may be in part the explanation of the 

 problem. Unfortunately I cannot find the exact date: 



May I beg of you on no account to permit the Brown Trout to be intro- 

 duced into the Molyneux or any of its tributaries, until you have got the 

 salmon fairly established in them. They are the greatest enemies the Salmon 

 can have. I can compare them to nothing, but wolves in a flock of sheep. 

 Again and again I have warned Dr Officer, of Tasmania, of the danger of 

 admitting these voracious fish into any stream suitable for Salmon before 

 the Salmon are established therein. I am sorry to observe that so many 

 of the Provinces of New Zealand have introduced these Brown Trout before 

 they have got the salmon. Depend upon it, for every £io spent by these 

 Provinces in this way, they will, in those rivers where they have placed 

 them, have to spend £ioo to successfully introduce the king of fishes. 



Introduction. The first attempt at the acclimatisation of the 

 salmon in New Zealand was made by Mr A. M. Johnson, who put 

 600 young fish on board the ' British Empire ' bound from London 

 to Canterbury in 1864. Snails, water-liUes and weeds of various 

 kinds were placed in the tanks; contrivances for aerating the water 

 were provided ; the tanks were provided with a frame-work case, with 

 double cane matting, which was kept constantly wet throughout the 

 tropics in order to keep up evaporation and lower the temperature. 



