TELEOSTEI 229 



Lake Onslow, a large artificial lake or dam near Roxburgh, in the 

 following year. In 1916 one was caught which weighed 3 lb. 14 oz. 

 There is reason to believe that the growth in the larger lakes at the 

 beginning of stocking was much more rapid. Mr Dansey states that 

 some caught in the Waikato River weighed from 7 to 8 lb. within four 

 years from the liberation of the fry^. 



Speaking of rainbow trout in South Canterbury, Mr Wilfred 

 Howell says: 



In the rivers they are not doing much good, as they seem to go down to 

 the sea soon after being turned in, and no big fish ever come into the rivers 

 from the sea. In the lakes, however, especially Lake Alexandrina in the 

 MacKenzie country, they are doing very well indeed. Some were put 

 in there five years ago as yearlings, and last month (July, 191 6) three were 

 caught, the largest 17 lbs., the smallest 14 lbs. 



The increase of these fish in the inland lakes of the North Island 

 was so great that in 1913 the Government decided to take over the 

 administration of the inland fisheries, and, in co-operation with the 

 acclimatisation societies throughout the dominion, to endeavour to 

 improve the condition of affairs. In Rotorua and Taupo the fish had 

 deteriorated greatly, and measures were at once taken to reduce the 

 number in the lakes. This was done in Rotorua by means of barriers 

 in two of the largest rivers, and by netting traps and drag-nets in 

 other streams. In Taupo all were taken by means of traps and nets. 



For the three years ending 31st May, 1916, the total number of 

 ill-conditioned fish taken and destroyed was as follows: 



1913-14 1914-1S 1913-16 Totals 



Number Tons Number Tons Number Tons Number Tons 

 Rotorua 18,271 19-3 i4.94i 20-7 25,243 22-5 58,455 62-5 

 Taupo 2,830 4-6 12,779 27-0 15,674 27-9 31,283 59-6 



The total number of good fish taken out and sold for the same 

 period amounts to the following: 



1913-14 1914-15 1915-16 Totals 



Number Tons Number Tons Number Tons Number Tons 

 Rotorua 25,851 15-9 28,460 i8-2 35,464 20-5 89,775 54-6 

 Taupo 6,243 "-o ".574 22*3 16,137 225 33.954 55-8 



1 Ernest Phillips, author of Trout in Lakes and Reservoirs, says (p. 37) : " Rainbows 

 are no use at all for rivers. They disappear down to the sea very soon after they 

 have been liberated. It might be thought that the Rainbow would find it hard to 

 exercise this faculty for getting away from lakes and reservoirs and ponds, but it 

 is apparently just as easy for a stock of Rainbows to disappear from a fenced and 

 walled-in reservoir as it is from an open river. Until this was discovered there 

 had been a great run on Rainbow trout, and thousands upon thousands had been 

 turned down in municipal reservoirs. But when reservoirs had been stocked with 

 countless numbers, and, after two or three years they were drained and found to 

 be empty, a reaction set in." 



