136 The N.Z. Journal op Science and Technology. [May 
But I have already pointed out to the Board of Trade that an enormous 
trade in frozen fish could probably be done with Great Britain when the 
trade routes are once more open. Immense quantities of fish are used in 
the manufacturing districts of Britain, not as fresh fish and not of expensive 
kinds, but as fried fillets. The class of fish supplied to this market before 
the war contained nothing so good as our groper (hapuku) or snapper, both 
of which occur in enormous quantities in these seas. What the working 
classes at home want is a nutritious “ meaty ” fish, and New Zealand could 
supply that in great quantity. 
Fishes not at present used as food, but many of which are of good edible 
quality, are also numerous. 
The skate is seldom brought to market by the fishermen, but the demand 
in Britain and elsewhere is very considerable, and the fish fetches a good 
price. Connoisseurs consider “ skate-wings ” a great delicacy. The taste 
wants cultivation in this country. 
The elephant-fish (Callorhynchus milii) is found in the New Zealand seas 
in enormous quantity. I have seen a couple of tons brought in with one 
haul of the trawl, and the whole lot immediately thrown overboard. The 
flesh is white and palatable ; and, while there is a general prejudice against 
all fishes allied to the sharks, this difficulty could largely be overcome by 
selling it filleted. The prejudice arises largely from a false comparison 
between carnivorous mammals and birds on the one hand and carnivorous 
fishes on the other. There is an understandable prejudice against eating- 
cats, dogs, weasels, &c., or hawks and vultures. But to reject carnivorous 
fish from the list of those which are edible would be to leave us without 
any fish at all. The Portobello Fish-hatchery has kept records for some 
years past of the stomach-contents of most of the fish caught in Otago 
waters, and all are carnivorous to a greater or less degree. So this 
difficulty may be dismissed as prejudice, which, however, must be 
recognized as a difficult thing to overcome. 
Dogfish of more than one species furnish good edible food. Before the 
war stopped the trade a small quantity of filleted fish, stained a warm 
tawny colour, was imported from England into New Zealand done up in 
neat paper-lined boxes. In Dunedin this article was labelled “ Smoked 
haddock,” and was retailed at Is. 3d. per pound. It was dogfish, filleted 
and dipped in a solution, probably, of pyroligneous acid and anatto. The 
late Mr. Anderton imitated it with some success at the Portobello Marine 
Fish-hatchery. When he was in Britain in 1912-13 he found that at 
Plymouth alone as many as eighty boats were engaged in the capture of 
dogfish. Probably there is a definite season for this fishery. There are 
in New Zealand waters several species of dogfish, but all are not of equal 
value for edible purposes. 
Eels are seldom seen in the markets or the fish-shops, but they are excel¬ 
lent for food. Boned, salted, and slightly smoked, they are as tasty as 
Yarmouth bloaters. They are, of course, a fresh-water fish for all practical 
purposes. Conger-eel is occasionally smoked, and I have often met with 
it at Wellington hotel-tables under the name of “ smoked hake.” 
Sardines and sprats are seldom caught and dealt with as edible fish, 
except to the most limited extent. 
The sardine ( Sardina neopilchardus) is found in all the coastal waters 
throughout the year, but enormous shoals come up the south-east coast of 
the South Island, especially during February and March. Their visits are, 
however, most erratic : some years they are very abundant, but some 
