55 
Before, however, these proposals assumed a definite form 
the whole question again came up towards the expiry of the 
three years’ probation, and the same conflicting statements 
were urged with additional warmth and with the additional 
argument, on the one hand, that the closure had resulted in 
an increase in number and size of fish and, on the other hand, 
that it had resulted in a decrease as there had been no netting 
to remove the vermin from the river. 
Under those circumstances the only solution of the difficulty 
was obviously to carry out the experiments originally con- 
templated, and this the Government proposed to do. 
At a meeting of anglers and netters at Zwartkops on the 
25th June, 1915, it was mutually agreed that the river should 
remain closed to netting for a period of twelve months, during 
which regular experimental netting should be carried out. 
Two days later the first netting took place, and was repeated 
monthly to July, 1916. 
This, briefly, is the history of the question, and we may now 
proceed to state the various difficulties on which the whole 
dispute is based. There is a great diversity of opinion on 
these points, and it was in the hope that light would be thrown 
on them that the series of nettings now completed were under- 
taken. These questions are: 
(1) Do fish spawn or breed in the river? If so, do sea fish 
generally resort to the river for this purpose, or only certain 
kinds. 
(2) It is stated that the fish resort to the upper reaches 
of the river, and that this region ought to be specially protected. 
It has been stated that six kinds of fish are definitely known to 
breed in these upper reaches. 
(3) Are such breeding fish seriously disturbed by such 
netting operations ? 
(4) Of what nature are the eggs of these fishes ? It is stated 
that, some at least, are attached to the river weeds which are 
hauled up in large quantities by the nets at times. Some—as, 
for instance, those of the Steenbras—are said to be of the size 
of a small marble, and liable to be destroyed by netting. 
(5) Not only the eggs of fish but thousands of very small 
and immature fish of 2 or 3 inches in length are found in the 
river and are destroyed by netting. 
(6) The question as to whether the fish stay in the river 
or pass out and in freely to and from the sea has given rise 
to much dispute, and has an important bearing on the possi- 
bility of depleting the river of fish by netting. 
(7) It is stated that fish are known to have become scarce 
as a result of netting and to become more abundant as a 
result of suspension of netting operations. The contrary is 
[O.P, 3—1918] i 
