ern ao eee iy ee we ded Wo eh We a Va te ay ‘ Hite Mets) Sod ye ton, hbsaee dae ietial tla " Ps Metta othe jag LA Ly ae Nude hate ved d ' ay it a Pa pcaibea Aeanh te Hea aa Wav ewok ak kale Me wit Se crtny | ad ts SRN ae itis RRA ie HO fo Ay Nain rinaeey ¥ PA eae ttt oy , ( thw t Vea a y ded de FC the Pe both hae ; i enh ilyy iat 4 WW fe / Wy hi i ‘ wits ( ‘ Sp git ; HA J OR AAA 4 M Coins nt OH ena ASC y ed CEE oe RL si Lh "i ; N o i, Laid Aae fi 4 oh td Coe rath een 1 tal Maar CPi isl og a (aay ‘A HA WAG re ‘ 16, Vitae Hak Uy tba fia CASAS is Het aN Ley od OU tt DHA? ity HA Sy dams Sh aes a Yh ? ‘ what hae! i HG ton) dad ees us A v7 Asa Ad War CCR Cr) = ee Sr 4) Sa ue Dee i = i oe! = See peer weet ay? earths oteretet ARE aU eR Et sae iy ia os ne cee if ay eh Aa ‘ \s oe ~~ sé iain % e) a, o Eh OW a RRS Tene ae A Plata ty i fied sid dae vy eae oN ora A id 4 4b Solace * fe a t ‘ papas Jan wo ey 4A \ a or) PS EAR Ag NOR 8 NO eae te fal Peter} v om) Orderattd 4 Aah CAC heos bik ny WoW weak gh A Hoe id Kid ded 444.0u we ea ae Ck wea PRCREH Re WC) ‘i rien “J Aah wale 1 : ye $e Mare vi Neal Nob: Sie Cusie ROLE AAS BO ORS a A VAIIAM fh Sg AS ; “3inAUQIAM TROG : gound stad SQ WavAK vusoMAS =o abe A OMINKAM “Oe ; oC | anas atu taw \) | 4 eMuaneare THEE | Tuggerah Lakes se ae —— b/ pont MACQUARIE Lake Trowe S> SAMOEN HAVEN fe ¥, . —— the MARINE FISHERIES j & NEW SOUTH WALES _ { mm Ot AUSTRALIA mp =: af Morne hah —— JT mee / e " , aera | 2 Resin Me rrrindle S Bede ial S ro 2 } & 1 ~ at = ae blished by Authority of the New South Wales Commissioners for the World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. ISTORY OF THE FISHERIES OF NEW SOUTH WAEES: WITH A SKETCH OF THE LAWS BY WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN REGULATED: BY LINDSAY G. THOMPSON, CHIEF INSPECTOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES FISHERIES. OMPILED FROM OFFICIAL AND OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCES. Spdnep : CHARLES POTTER, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, PHILLIP-STREET. 1893. Ph 33—93a [1s. 6d,] CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. The Marine Fishing-grounds—Trawling—Fish-preserving Companies —The Herring Fishery CHAPTER II. Inland Waters Fisheries—Fish Acclimatisation—Marine and Fresh-water Pisciculture CHAPTER III. The Fisheries Laws and their Administration CHAPTER IV. The Fish Markets and the Fish Trade CHAPTER V. The Oyster Fisheries and the law governing them CHAPTER VI. Crustacea CHAPTER VII. The Whale Fisheries ... CHARTER) VEuk The Pearl-shell Fisheries CHAPTER IX. The Aboriginal Fisheries and Canoes and Fishing... APPENDICES PLATES AND Maps. PAGES. 44-51 89-94 95-101 102-126 The Fisheries of New South Wales. CHAPTER If. Tue Fisheries of New South Wales have ever engaged more or less of public attention, for it had always been evident that, possessing a coast-line of such a contour as that which shapes the eastern boundary of the Colony, the possibilities of fish production must be enormous, and quite worth all the consideration which could be bestowed upon them. The purpose of this pamphlet is to trace the history of the attempts made to utilise these fisheries, to review the laws by which, from period to period, they have been governed, and to offer such further information respecting them as the writer himself possesses, and official and other authentic records will supply. It is hoped that a perusal of these pages will help to convey some idea of the extent and value of our piscine resources, and the so-far latent wealth which await only the aid of capital and enterprise to develop. With such objects in view, it will be proper, in the first place, to attempt a brief description of— THE MARINE FISHING-GROUNDS. The marine fishing-grounds so far known to us extend along the entire length of the sea-board—some 700 miles. This sea-board, both in its inlets and its offing, is in a marked degree favourable to the development of the very large supply of food-fishes which inhabit it. It is indented by § innumerable inlets and arms of the sea. It possesses many ~. rivers whose embouchures are of large expanse. Its lakes and some of its bays and harbours are of vast extent, and its submarine conditions generally are of a character eminently A 2 THE MARINE FISHING-GROUNDS. adapted both as nursery and feeding grounds for fish. The following outline is intended to afford an idea of the position of these inlets with reference to Sydney, their naturally large resources, and their number and variety. The fisheries are distributed into three large sections—the Northern, the Southern, and the Home divisions. The prin- cipal of these is the latter. It is shown on the map, and comprises all the tidal waters between Port Stephens and Bherrewerre, St. George’s Basin. The metropolitan market is within easy reach from almost any point within this division, hence its value and its designation. THE HOME DIVISION OF FISHERIES. * Port Stephens, about 90 miles to the northward of Sydney, takes a premier position amongst the fishing-stations—con- nected with a vast series of lakes (the Myall Lakes)* with the Karuah River, Telligherry Creek, a dozen of important affluents, and miles upon miles of beaches and flats, suitable for seine-hauling, this immense water, some two or three times the size of Port Jackson, is, it may readily be con- ceived, one of the large factors in the metropolitan supply. At present it is out of reach of railway communication. This disadvantage may possibly be removed in the near future; but its produce is even now very readily conveyed by sea to Newcastle, and thence to Sydney by rapid steam or rail transit. Hunter River.—The reaches on the lower part of this river are of more importance to Sydney as a prawn fishery than in the supply of line or net fish which they afford. Even the population of Newcastle is not adequately supplied by the Hunter. Most probably the great and constant destruction of immature fish by prawn-nets, an evil which legislation, though specially instituted in that direction, has so far failed to overcome, is responsible for this. * Lake Macquarie.-—Since the opening of the North Coast Railway to Newcastle, this magnificent lake has become the most productive of our fisheries. Prior to that event it was - valued only as a vast nursing and feeding ground. Owing to the difficulty of communication with Sydney, it found but little favour with the fishermen, the few who happened to be stationed there preferring to fish for the Chinese curers * See Map—Appendices. THE MARINE FISHING-GROUNDS. 3 rather than risk the chance of landing their catch in good condition at the metropolitan market. The lake entrance being very shallow could be availed of only at certain states of the tide, and as the plan, which had been attempted, of sending the catch by boat to a steamer off the bar was found to be unsatisfactory, the only other available route was via Neweastle. This route involved ajourney of some twelve miles over a very rough road, the transference of the fish to the steamboat, and at the Sydney end from the steamboat by cart to the fish-market. The result of all this handling and shaking, especially in the summer months, was, as might be expected, that a large proportion of the consignments were, on arrival at the market, unfit for human food. All this difficulty is now of the past, the Chinamen have for the most part disappeared and European fishermen have taken their places. These latter have taxed the resources of the lake to what might be supposed their extreme limits, yet year after year it isfound at the top of the List, both in the quantity and the quality of its yield. This water, the largest in the lake system which occurs between Newcastle and Sydney, is of great expanse, it is nearly twenty miles in length, with an average width of four miles. and its contour is so broken by deeply-indented bays and recesses as to give a perimeter of about 800 miles. As with but comparatively small exception the whole extent of the shores are suitable for seine-hauling, it will be readily conceived that it offers unparalleled advantages to the pro- fessional fisherman. Tuggerah Beach Lakes.—South from Lake Macquarie, and separated from it by a flat strip of land about a mile in width, begin the series of lakes known as Tuggerah, they are three in number, Manmurra, Budgewoi, and Tuggerah proper, they are all connected, and together have an extreme length from north tosouth of fourteen miles. Tuggerah is the largest, and the principal of the series, it has communication with the sea at a small rocky opening in the beach about seven miles north from a well-known boat harbour called Terrigal. The entrance is very broken and shallow, and is rarely avajl- able, even for open boats; still, however, during the pre- valence of westerly winds which blow off the coast fisher- men occasionally navigate it. Now, however, these waters, which, like Lake Macquarie, abound in flats, shallows, and long foreshores, and are fish-producing to an enormous A, THE MARINE FISHING-GROUNDS. extent, are tapped by the North Coast Railway at Wyong. The railway station is reached by a creek of that name, about four miles in length, situated about north-west from the sea entrance. Fish are conveyed from these lakes to Sydney by rail in about two hours and a half. * Broken Bay, the Hawkesbury, Pitt Water, and Brisbane Water—South from Tuggerah and situated considerably nearer to Port Jackson is Broken Bay, the embouchure of the far-famed Hawkesbury River, with its extensive arms, Brisbane Water on the north and Pitt Water on the south. These waters, from their ready accessibility and fish-producing capabilities, have always ranked, and still rank, amongst the most important of our fishing-grounds. The beaches bounding these waters present the most favourable conditions to net fishermen, and the upper reaches of the. river and the mud flats of its various tributaries comprising Mullet, Mooney, Marra-Marra, Berowra, and Mangrove Creeks, have helped to supply Sydney for many years past, and still continue to do so. The North Coast Railway now taps this river at a point locally known as the Flat Rock, and by its means the produce of its more upper waters is conveyed to the metropolis with the greatest facility, and with but little loss even in the height of summer. Port Jackson and Parramatta River.—On the shores of Port Jackson stands Sydney, the metropolis of New South Wales. It is the centre of the Home Division of Fisheries, and the point to which all fish produce converges. At one time Port Jackson held a premier position amongst the fishing- erounds for all kinds of the best net-fish, but it has lost much of its value. This is owing not only to the pollution of its waters by the sewage of a large city and constant disturbance by the traffic of innumerabie craft, but to a wanton destructive process of netting to which every bay and flat have been subjected. Legislation, to which I shall refer to later on, has done something towards counteracting this evil, and possibly when the scheme for carrying the sewage direct to. the ocean shall have been sufficiently long in operation to allow of the feeding-grounds recovering themselves, the metropolitan harbour may again in some degree yield its original supply. ‘To the north of Port Jackson, between Manly and Pitt Water, are a series of small lagoons, Curl- Curl, Deewhy and Narrabeen. These lagoons are most * See Map—Appendices. THE MARINE FISHING-GROUNDS. 5 a valuable breeding-grounds and nurseries for many kinds of edible fish, and care is taken to prevent them from being ravaged by the operation of netters. Botany Bay and George’s Liver.—Some 10 miles south from Port Jackson les Botany Bay and its valuable tributaries the George’s and Woronora iivers—these are amongst the most prolific of our grounds,.and are esteemed of high value, not only on account of the enormous supply they so continu- ously yield, but by reason of their proximity to Sydney and its southern suburbs, and the many ready means which exist for the transit of fish. Fish can be sent by train, by tram, and by several lines of road from these waters, which are of value not only to the professional fisherman but to quite an army of amateur line fishermen also. It is not at all unusual on holidays, and on Saturdays and Sundays, for some 300 boats to be engaged here in line-fishing, each boat having from three to six ‘occupants. Port Hacking.—South from Botany, and apa 6 miles distant, is Port Hacking. It is a splendid fishing-ground, but as bordering on the National Park it has been considered proper to restrict its use for purposes of public recreation and amusement. Netting in any part of it is prohibited by special Act of Parliament, and the rights of public thus created as against the net fishermen are most zealously guarded. * Lake Illawarra.—Between Port Hacking and this lake a stretch of 33 miles of rock-bound coast occurs with nothing to break it except an artificially-formed harbour basin at Wollongong. Some 4 miles south from Wollongong is Lake Illawarra; this water bears on the south somewhat of the relation to Sydney which Lake Macquarie does on the north, being an important breeding-ground and nursery and a factor in the fish supply; moreover, nearly the whole line of its shores is comprised of flats and shallows, and seines can be used in almost any part of it. It has but a narrow and indifferent entrance to the sea which, except in very calm weather, cannot be used even by fishing-boats ; it is tapped at several points by the South Coast Railway, and by Ue mode of transit its produce is despatched. Shoalhaven and Crookhaven Rivers.—Passing southerly from Lake Illawarra along another considerable stretch of * See Map—Appendices. ~ 6 THE MARINE FISHING-GROUNDS. unindented rock-bound coast the Shoalhaven and Crookhaven Rivers are reached. These rivers are navigable by coastal steamboats for some distance; they abound with fish of all kinds common to our other waters, but their comparative remoteness from Sydney has hitherto militated against the transmission of their produce to market except during the winter months; the steamboat service is not available for the work, as between Shoalhaven and Port Jackson are several ports of call, so that the time of arrival at the terminal point cannot always be calculated. The difficulty in the way of fully utilising this prolific fishery will, however, soon be of the past. — An extension of the South Coast Railwayto Jervis Bay has been projected, and the line is now in process of construction to an intermediate point, the village of Nowra, a settlement on the Shoalhaven River, about 10 miles from the sea; on completion of this extension this fishery will be placed within a very few hours distanee from Sydney. Just immediately south of the Crookhaven River is a lagoon known as Lake Wolumla; it is about 34 miles long by 1 mile in width; it is a natural breeding and feeding ground, and its adaptability for the propagation of marine fish by artificial means cannot be too strongly asserted. : Bherrewerre or Saint Georges Basin.—This water forms thesouthern limit of the Home Fisheries Division; equally with other waters it contains fish m abundance, and good hauling- grounds exist along nearly the whole length of its shores. But its remoteness from the metropolis and the difficulty of transporting the fish which would have to be carted for 20 miles over a rough bush road to the nearest steamboat wharf precludes its present use as a fishing-station. On completion of the extension of the South Coast Railway to Jervis Bay— the basin will be brought within 2 miles of train haulage, and its produce will largely enhance the fish supply. Jervis Bay, a very large stretch of water to the north-east of St. George’s Basin, is similarly situated ; its immense resources must remain locked up untii suitable modes of transit are established. THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN DIVISIONS OF FISHERIES. These embrace respectively the line of coast from Port Stephens northerly to the Tweed River, and from Saint George’s Basin southerly to Cape Howe; they include many navigable rivers, and extensive lakes, and lagoons, but aa. + ed o = - a a > 2 “iil ENTE So etape nitae® NOS SS SOS Pagrus unicovr. Attains a weight of 35 Ibs SCHNAPPER. (E133 9S. THE OFFING FISHERIES. 7 as fishing-grounds they are, for the most part, practically untouched, and so far as the home divisional fisherman is concerned are almost unknown; yet their producing capa- bilities are not to be ranked as at all inferior to the grounds in the Home Division; they abound with fish of all the species common to our coast, and if the smallest reliance is +o be placed upon the reports of the Fisheries Inspectors and Pilots or Custom Officers stationed at the mouths of the various inlets of such rivers as the Tweed, the Richmond, the Clarence, the Bellmger, the Nambuccra, the Macleay, the Manning, the Clyde, the Moruya, Twofold Bay, and other waiters of less importance, there cannot be a doubt that a pro- fitable industry lies ready for immediate development when the necessary enterprise and capital are forthcoming. A reference to the map will show the large extent to which the whole coast-line from north to south is broken by rivers, creeks, lakes, bays, and other inlets, each of them abounds with fish; their existence alone is ample warrant for asserting the unusual advantages which New South Wales possess for estabushing an enormous export trade in fish. But really her advantages only begin here. She has besides untold wealth to acquire when she places under contribution the vast stores held in trust by the deep sea itself; these untold stores it is now proposed to consider under the title of THE OFFING FISHERIES. These exist along the whole length of the coast-line and wide-ofi for adistance of 10 miles or more in water at a depth from about 30 to 50 fathoms; the position of some of these in the more immediate vicinity of Port Jackson and the metropolitan market, it is proposed presently to define. The schnapper, which, for economic purposes, may be ranked with ‘the cod of the northern hemisphere, is distributed with remarkable regularity over all of these grounds—whatever the formation of the coast may be, this fish, perhaps the most valuable, and the most abundant of all our forms is never absent, and being essentially a rock fish in its habits is not migratory. The same may be said of its congener the bream, and in a lesser degree of the flathead, whiting, black- fish, tailer, tarwhine, garfish, and other varieties which frequent as well. the bays and estuaries of our harbours and lakes. 8 THE OFFING FISHERIES. There are most important schnapper-grounds existing at varying distances from all the main headlands between the South Head of Broken Bay and the North Head of Port Jackson; there are, at least, a score of school of fish-grounds within these limits. Vast quantities of fish have been taken in every one of them, especially along the line of submerged rocks known as Long Reef, which can be traced for a distance of five miles off shore, and on the wide off grounds off Narrabeen Bight. Bumboras or sunken rocks are found in this bight, and they, like all others on the coast are the favourite resort of the schnapper fishermen during particular conditions of the currents. It is said that schnapper have been taken in large quantities about ten miles wide off from Long Reef in about 35 to 40 fathoms of water. Excepting those off Deewhy there are no recognised grounds between Long Reef and the North Head of Port Jackson. Off this head is a line of reefs jutting out under water which, like those at Long Reef, forms a series of schnapper grounds, which had once a splendid reputation, but are now not much to be depended upon; possibly these, like the grounds about three miles due east from Port Jackson have suffered deterioration from the constant discharge from the mud- punts of silt and harbour refuse. Continuing southerly, the next grounds resorted to by fishermen are off the Flagstaff and Mud Island; the next of importance are at varying distances from the rocky islet off Coogee Bay. These are favourite grounds for the various fishing clubs which pursue their recreation in small steam vessels, and from force of numbers and the ease with which they can shift from one spot to another are able to count out more fish for a fair day’s outing than any of the professional fishing crews. About fourteen miles eastward of these Coogee grounds a shell- bank was discovered by Mr. James M‘Carthy, an amateur fisherman—it carries only about 20 to 30 fathoms of water ; but it is so narrow that vessels find great difficulty in lying-to on it; the ridge extends in a north-west to south-east direction for about a mile, and the soundings in the immediate neigh- bourhood show 70 to 90 fathoms. Another, the Jerusalem Bank, about fifty miles east-northerly from Wollongong, carrying 20 fathoms of water, was found in 1876 by Captain Largie of the barque “Jerusalem.”’ It was searched for subsequently by Captain Hixson, the President of the Marine Board, but without success. So far as is known the search THE OFFING FISHERIES. 9 has not been repeated. ‘Then there is a bank about three miles east by north from Bowen Island, off the mouth of Jervis Bay, carrying 30 to 35 fathoms of water. Another bank exists ten miles east by north from Wollongong carrying 30 fathoms, and one five miles east from Kiama carrying 40 fathoms. Lesides, there are the Sir John Young’s banks, about three to four miles off the south headland of the Shoal- haven Bight—these consist of an inner and an outer bank of rock formation, they carry a depth of 7 to 12 fathoms of water; the water around the banks dips to 20 and 40 fathoms. The banks are not much used by fishermen. In calm weather they are easilyrecognisable by the rip of the current. The accidental discovery of these banks suggests that in the conformation of the ocean bottom they may be found to occur in numbers, and be fish-bearing to such a degree as to give quite distinc- tive features to the fisheries of the future. Between Coogee and Cape Banks, the northern headland of Botany Bay, the fishing grounds are wholly confined to those in the offing; there are about a dozen schnapper erounds within these lmits, but none of them of much importance. Excepting the long line of rocky ground which forms the submarine extension of Cape Banks, none here- about possess the necessary conditions for school fish; as is the case on all foul grounds fish roam about from patch to patch in small schools. The entrance to Botany Bay is foul as a rule, and although wide of Cape Banks there are some very fair school-fish grounds, yet they have never been appreciated by fishermen, who prefer the Bumboras and off-shore grounds to the southward of Cape Solander, Long- ° nose, and Curranulla Head, notwithstanding the strength of the southerly current which, off some of these headlands, runs in the summer months like a sluice. Mr. Alexander Oliver, M.A., now the President of the Land Appeal Court, at one time a Commissioner of Fisheries for this Colony, and who as a recognised authority has given very frequent and valuable contributions to our fisheries literature, thus describes in an interesting paper on the fisheries, the grounds from Botany to Wattamolle :— “ At and off the entrance of Botany and Curranulla Head there are several well known schnapper grounds, about 2 miles within Curranulla Bight (the “Bate Bay” of our charts) is a famous ground known to fishermen as the Mary, Merry, or Shamrock Rock, for it goes under all these names. It is a sunken flat rock, or series of rocks, with about 8 to 11 fathoms of water, situated at the point of a reef which runs from a little boat-harbour called ‘Doughboy,’ 10 TRAWLING. PSMA CNA a it a ak i et neh about 3a mile to southward. Tons upon tons of schnappers have been taken off this ground, which however is difficult for a stranger to find, as the cross- bearing marks are not easily described. The whole of this Port Hacking or Curranulla Bight is one vast nursery and feeding-ground for fish, and the harbour and river of Port Hacking at its southern extremity is second only to Broken Bay as a net ground. Here are caught generally the first gar- fish and mullet of the season, both which fish come to us from the southward, generally seeking the smooth harbour waters after a heavy south and south- easterly weather, and, after a few days continuing their progress north- ward, and putting in at every inlet or river-mouth lying in their course. A eable-length or so distant from ‘ Jibben Head,’ the southern point of the entrance to Port Hacking, lies Jibben ‘bumbora,’ a fishing-mark of great repute, but not now much resorted to for school-fish, 7.¢., the schnapper of about 4 to 6 or 7 years old, and found on the off-shore grounds in large schools, as distinguished from the native, which is the same fish at a latter stage of growth, but frequenting different haunts (the shoals off headlands, sunken rocks, and river-points). Passing south, the inshore grounds off Marly Head and Wattamolle are next reached, and this latter point forms the Sydney and Botany fisherman’s Ultima Thule. Indeed, these southern fishing-grounds are rarely troubled, except in the winter months, when the wind generally blows off the shore, and is fair for both the up and down trip.” This description of the value of the offing grounds in the immediate vicinity of Port Jackson may be applied with equal correctness to the offing of the whole coast-line. Schnapper and other fish can be captured in quantity at almost any point. To give an instance, the harbour and river entrances are more or less bar-bound, and steam-boats trading to them have sometimes to await a favouring tide to runin. While waiting it is usual for the passengers to pass the time in fishing, and quite considerable quantities of fish are frequently taken in this way. It will thus be evident that the offing in its length and breadth is one vast fishing- sround, wonderfully prolific, and as yet practically unworked. TRAWLING. But it is not to the line fisherman only that this extensive ground can be made to yield its wealth; at frequent intervals along the coast-line occur extensive bights, having so far as is known firm bottoms, clear of impediments, over which the beam trawl could be drawn for miles; such as these exist between Newcastle and Port Stephens, off Tuggerah, off Shoalhaven, and off numerous other points; on each fish abound. Some two years since a vessel derelict was discovered. drifting in the course of passing ships off the Port Stephens Bight; she was recovered and towed towards the land and - = ip tas we iN] NNN ‘4 ry F ¢ =) Po Ty A nae re : its Od ce pea oe ee gre es ene ; ik ee ae) Pega a ee os thot 7 TRAWLING. Bi ge sunk at some distance from it; being still a danger to craft trading along that coast it was resolved to destroy her by dynamite. A consequence of the explosion was to throw up whiting, flathead, flounders, and other fish to the surface of the water in enormous quantities; it may readily be inferred that the systematic trawling of these bights would yield most satisfactory results. In this Colony there are not any vessels having facilities for working the trawl-net. On one occasion rough trawling gear was improvised on a small steam tug. ‘The trial was in- tended to occupy a week, but as regards the amount of work done the results were disappointing, this was due entirely to the severity of the weather and the unfitness of the steamer to contend against a heavy sea. The trawl could be put over the side only twice during the trip and then only for a few hours, so that the actual length of ground traversed was very short. On the first occasion the trawl was lowered about 6 miles off the south head of Botany Bay in 40 fathoms of water; it was kept down three hours when it was hauled in from 55 fathomsdown. The trawl showed evidence of having been well on the ground, and its contents were three dozen Lepidotrigla, several John Dorey (Zeus Australis), two dozen stingrays, four dozen skates (Rai), several saw-fish. The trawl was again lowered four miles off Curranulla Reef in 22 fathoms of water and drawn in a south-easterly direction for three howrs when it was raised in 40 fathoms of water. The haul consisted of several dozen of Lepidotrigla, fourteen John Dorey, a number of stingrays, a flathead, three small soles. Looked upon as a whole the results of this experiment, carried out under such extremely unfavourable conditions, were regarded in scientific quarters as decidedly promising— the existence of a true skate was thought to be a valuable dis- eovery and the abundance of the John Dorey as also important, for it was hitherto considered very rare, while its quality as a food-fish is unrivalled in the world. But whether regarded commercially as successful or unsuccessful, this attempt at deep water trawling in New South Wales proves incontestably that we know very little of the inhabitants of our ocean floor ; indeed, of the few fish dredged up, the Lepidotrigla and Rai were of a species utterly unknown, and others were extremely -yare. We do know, however, that ground fish of various species exist in abundance, and this alone should be sufficient 12 TRAWLING. warrant for anticipating successful results from a trawling expedition properly manned and equipped and assisted with favourable weather. Of course it is scarcely reasonable to expect that private enterprise will step in and prosecute this industry on the basis of little more than the bare assumption of ultimate success. But under proper representation the Government would, doubtless, direct the institution of a trawl-survey to test the suitability of some of the large bights already named. ‘his, while it would be more expeditious and far less expensive than a hydrographic survey, would supply just the information it will most concern the intending trawler to possess; as, for instance, not only the depths of water and character of bottom but the fish producing capabilities as well ; while to the public it would evidence the probable value of fish capture by trawling as items of national economy and wealth. The equipment necessary for a trawl-survey would be a small steamboat sufficiently fitted and manned by an ordinary crew, but supplemented by one or two expert certificated trawl fishermen ;—of these several are to be found amongst the employés in the Marine Departments of the Crown. In concluding this brief description of the fishing-grounds of New South Wales it may be fitting, perhaps, to remark that we have in our seas a wonderful variety of fishes not surpassed in numbers or excellence in any country in the world. We have herrings of various kinds annually skirting our coast in countless shoals, we have shoals of mackerel, tailer, king-fish, trevally, and yellow-tail, gar-fish, whiting, schnapper, mullet, &c. Ofthe mullet (mugil grandis), which, under proper system and treatment, might be made of immense value to the country, it is hardly possible to write in language too extravagant. It is of all our fishes the one that offers the greatest inducement for a special fishery. It makes its appearance in very large shoals during the months of April and May, travelling in a northerly direction, and showing a disposition to enter every inlet and harbour along its course. It is at that time in the finest condition and full of roe, and is prosecuting its migration simply in search of suitable spawning-grounds ;—the quantity which could be consumed ina fresh state during this special season which lasts only about six or eight weeks would be very small in pro- | portion to the quantity which could be captured, and it would be quite practicable to utilise the vast numbers of this splendid ‘HTTOW Vas ‘epunty pbngy “€6-E€ YZ/ FISH-PRESERVING COMPANIES. 13 fish by preservation in a marketable form for home con- sumption, or export. It is not unusual to salt and smoke the mullet, but its very fatness makes it a bad fish for this mode of treatment—it takes salt too readily and is apt to become rancid. The roe, however, salted and smoked is equal to anything of the kind so prepared, and in that state it is rapidly bought up in quantity. With a fish of such richness, delicacy, and distinctive flavour it was supposed that no plan of preservation has been found to surpass that generally adopted for the salmon (a fish possessing many of its qualities), viz., boilmg and hermetically sealing in tin cans. This process has been adopted on several occa- sions, and always with success. Mullet thus preserved was displayed at the great International Fisheries Exhibi- tion, London, 1883, at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 1888, and at the several exhibitions held in one or other of the Australian Colonies, and always received the highest commendation, not only from the public but also from official experts. As the outcome of these experiments made by the Fisheries Commissioners, two companies, one at Cape Hawke and another at the Clarence River, have embarked in this industry with every probability of immediate success. Possessing, as New South Wales does, the raw material in such unlimited abundance, it is difficult to forecast the ultimate results of these small beginnings. THE CAPE HAWKE FISH-PRESERVING COMPANY. The works are situated on Wallis Lake, about a mile from its entrance;—though not extensive, they are capable of turning out about 6V0 tins per diem—indeed, the establish- ment of the factory in the first instance was purely speculative, and at the start the venture was met with the great difficulty of having to contend against the imported article, which has a strong hold upon the public taste; however, owing to the excellence of their arrangements, and the undoubted value of some species of our fish for preserving purposes, the proprietors have been rewarded by a ready sale for their productions ; so much so indeed, that the orders during the last Lenten season exceeded the quantity which the manu- factory was able to turn out. The Company, so far, has confined its operations to the canning of smoked fish, in a style similar to that employed 14 THE HERRING FISHERIES. for kippered herrings and Findon haddocks. It is found that our whiting, bream, and mullet are most suitable for this process, and these species can be captured in large quantities. it is the intention shortly to attempt the canning of craiy- fish ;—some samples of this crustacean have indeed already been put up as an experiment, and it is claimed that they are far superior to the imported canned lobster. As the supply of this cray-fish is during five months of the year practically inexhaustible, there seems every prospect of a large trade being opened up. The Company proposes to display its wares at the forthcoming World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1898, and a favourable report from competent judges is hoped for. THE CLARENCE RIVER FRESH FISH AND CANNING COMPANY (LIMITED) more fully described in the Appendices, is a registered Company, possessing a fairly sufficient capital—the works are at Iluka, at the entrance to the Clarence River—the aim of the Company is to establish a trade in the supply of fresh fish to the metropolitan markets by the aid of steam traders, fitted with proper appliances to maintain the requisite temperature. In addition, as its title implies, it has embarked in the business of canning fish for export, and, like its sister establishment at Cape Hawke, bids far to secure remunerative results. An exhibit from this Company also will be on view at the approaching-Columbian Exposition. THE HERRING FISHERIES. The herring fisheriés on the New South Wales coast have not so far received the attention which their importance demands ; indeed this fish is so very rarely seen in the Sydney fish market as to warrant the belief that the Australian seas are barren of this species which form such a large source of wealth in other countries. The late Sir William Macleay, a principal authority on all questions connected with fish and fisheries, says, in a paper read before the Linnean Society, that the very reverse is the fact. There is no sea on the globe favoured with a more rich or varied supply of fishes of the herring tribe than that which washes our shores. That they are seldom seen is due to the fact that the shoals do not as arule enter the harbours on the coast, and that to fish for “€6-E£42/ AVUVI ‘anbos vednyp ————— GP Cases #W in i is aD THE SOUTHERN HERRING. Clupea Sundiaca. Mbcit) Ske) Sh THE HERRING FISHERIES. 15 them in the open sea would require appliances not at present in the possession of our fishermen. ‘These species, as might be expected, are different from those of the Northern Hemis- phere, but in excellence as edibles certainly not inferior. A species of herring (clupea sagax) almost identical with the English pilchard makes its appearance on the coast of New South Wales annually in June or July. It is called by the fishermen Maray, probably a native name, though this term is sometimes applied to other species of herring. The shoals are described as enormous, covering miles of sea and accom- panied by flights of birds and numbers of darge fishes. These shoals are generally observed from 1 to 3 miles from the land, and are always proceeding in a northerly direction. The same fish is reported by Dr. Hector, F.R.S., ‘Director of the Colonial Museum, Wellington, New Fenland, to visit the East Coast of Otago every year in February or March. In 1877 “a shoal was observed there migrating southwards. It extended as far as the eye could reach, followed by multi- tudes of gulls, mutton-birds, barracoota, and porpoises. So densely packed were they that by dipping a pitcher into the sea it would be drawn out half full of fish; so that by the use of large boats and suitable nets thousands of tons could have been caught.” There is much that is curious about the migrations of this fish: all the shoals which pass here in winter are goig north, while the shoals visiting Otago in summer are going south. It is a matter for inquiry— *‘ Are they the same fishes returning to their homes in the Antarctic seas after months of travel in search of spawning srounds? If so, how far north do they go? And where are their breeding grounds ?” A species of herrmg common on the New South Wales coast, is the clupea sundiaca. ‘This species can be readily distinguished from the sagax by its much deeper and more compressed body, and the bright golden band on each side near the back.” Shoals of this fish sometimes visit Port Jackson. Sir William Macleay relates that on one morning he found the beach at Elizabeth Bay strewed with bushels of them, left by a fisherman who had hauled his seine there during the night and taken away as many as he could. Like the Maray (sagax) it visits our coasts in winter In enormous shoals. It seems probable that its breeding grounds are not far distant, as it is to be found in the Hawkesbury, about Mullet Island, at all seasons of the year, and the young fry, 16 THE HERRING FISHERIES. apparently of the same species, are sometimes very abundant there. Sir William says that for excellence and delicacy of flavour this fish cannot be surpassed, being considered superior to the common herring of Scotland, and that, preserved in oil in the manner of sardines, it would eclipse even those delicacies. In respect to the value of these fishes from an economic point of view, Sir William Macleay remarks that it is certain that, so far as the immediate vicinity of Sydney is concerned, the two species referred to, as well as some others of perhaps less note, annually in the winter seasons pass the Heads, proceeding in a northerly direction in enormous shoals. That these fishes are of great value as food, and that they might be utilised to an almost unlimited extent in various ways, scarcely admit of question. The establishment, however, of a new industry, such as a herring fishery, in New South Wales, would be a difficult and costly thing, and could not be undertaken with hope of immediate returns. He instances the British Fishery Society, established about the end of the last century for the prosecution of the herring fishery in the north of Scotland, which laboured for many years before it became a complete success, though for a long time it was largely assisted by the Government with grants, bounties, &e. So likewise, he says, it must be here before much can be done. In the absence of Government aid or the resources of a wealthy company ready to undertake the establishment of fisheries on our shores, all that can be attempted is the endeavour to acquire an aquaintance with the history and habits of the finny tribes. Sir William concludes his remarks on the interesting subject of a possible herring fishery in New South Wales with the very practical suggestion that all those who have opportunities, such as fishermen, masters of coasting vessels, &c., should make notes of where and when they came across shoals of fish; the kinds of fish, of which a specimen or two should be placed in spirits for identification; the direction in which the shoals were moving; the apparent extent of them; whether the fish were full or spent; and of any other items occurring to the observer at the time. S$] Q2{ Jo 44 Siam & surety “EB- LE ¥2/ ‘sisuarsonboou snuobyQ =9$'qod AVUNOW “SININI 3 t/ £1 CP OEE 26 Ee ID 2S Ee Gs) Abane } a WR e INLAND WATERS FISHERIES. At CHAPTER IT. INLAND WATERS FISHERIES. THE inland or fresh-water fisheries, as compared with those on the seaboard, are of but small importance. With the exception of the river system embraced in the Murray, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan, and Darling Rivers, which reach the sea in the colony of South Australia; Lake George, in the counties of Argyle and Murray, a magnificent sheet of water some 22 miles in length by.8 in breadth; and the few large rivers such as the Richmond, the Clarence, the Manning, the Hunter, the Shoalhaven, the Clyde, and others which take their rise in the eastern side of the main range, New South Wales, from a fisheries point of view, may be regarded as practically waterless. It is not, therefore, to be expected that our fresh-water fishes can be numerous outside the influence of waters I have enumerated; and in the far western country a fish is never seen. The principal fresh- water fish we possess is the Murray Cod, a fish really of the perch family (Oligorus Macquariensis) being the “ Kookoobul” of the Murrumbidgee aboriginals, and the ‘‘ Pundy”’ of those on the Lower Murray. ‘There are two species of this genus, which belongs to the family of the perches. It is very voracious devouring everything in the shape of fish or animal which its enormous jaws can compass. It is a most excellent fish for the table, and has been known to reach a weight of 120 lb. The young fish are to be found in the billabongs and at the heads of streams, the adult fish lower down. They seem to have their periods of migration, ascending the streams in summer and descending them in winter, but as they thrive well in Lake George where they cannot make their ascent and descent, their propagation and development are evidently not dependent upon facilities of migration. Quite a considerable trade in this fish has been established with the neighbouring colony and Victoria. The principal B 18 THE INLAND WATERS FISHERIES. catch in this connection is made in the Murray River, in the vicinity of the border town of Moama. It may be estimated that during the last eight years this river supplied an average of 90,000 lb. weight of this fish to the Melbourne market. In one of the earlier of these years cod tothe enormous weight of 330,000 lb. were captured, but since the appoint- ment of inspectors at points along the river the supply has been kept somewhat in check. Had this not been done the species might by this time have become extinct, for it is beyond reason to suppose that any stream, however prolific, could withstand continually such an enormous drain upon its resources. The supply of this cod to the New South Wales metropolis has not been nearly so abundant.- The Murray River is too remote from Sydney to admit of supplies reaching their destination in good condition under the present arrangements of transit, so that our metropolis has to be dependent principally upon the catches made on the Macquarie and Darling Rivers, in direct railway communication with the seaboard. It would be quite possible to establish a lucrative trade between Lake George and Sydney. The lake teems with this fish, but so far only two or three fishermen pursue their vocation there, ‘and their catch being greedily snapped up by the residents of the neighbouring towns, often at really excessive prices, seldom has a chance of reaching Sydney. Lake George, 2,129 feet above the sea-level, is a magnifi- cent sheet of water, 22 miles in length by an average width of 7 miles, and has a mean depth of 8 feet. In the year 1854 the lake was practically dry, consisting of only a chain of ponds. It received its water in the great flood of 1862, and-has maintained itself in more or less volume ever since. At the present time it abounds with cod. The presence of this fish is due to the circumstance of Mr. (afterwards Sir) Terence Aubrey Murray having succeeded in transporting some fry of this fish from the Murrumbidgee River to the Wandradene Ponds and Lagoons te his estate at Collector, on the northern boundary of the ake. During the flood alluded to the water from these ponds overflowed into the lake basin, carrying with it large numbers of the fish, which by that time had become very prolific. These fish have continued to breed comparatively undisturbed ever since, and they now exist in large numbers, me y BSS eo eae we, egerce (arn rare Cen euae BR an GaNG ARO CXR MX K RX YAU CO OWA AAR MAK YS a xX) & ur ane ‘\ WS “e Y, YS. S — Aan X ROMS Me y Ny \/ ‘ Vv . —__ yA ——— ' ie \, VV VAAY VA ' \ "4 X® , ah SOOO ROO NS ee EQQOPROPROGOOE ORR OX SRA KAY é SOA N WAN RIK ORAL RO AN NONE CANTON ant —— ROO DAO UIN ECR SA MON TONNES PSs ASAIO AUR CANO OORT OCR RX MY rs CE NOMI INC NOUMIOG RSA Ny ORE RE ROK = ew / \' KOVR. WAIL SOR SAAS WW VAAN 8 BE? POUR OIOAC LS CO NANA PEN ORRIN AORN SAAC] Fa Tne ON ROIS NA OCR AED ONO ANY | Cae OK MORAINE CONS AAR ION KORY dS Pi ja 12" A sige oe . OK AA NINA ONE OO ANA ra R (es! TRAMMELL NET . Side VIEW. | he : shh A TRAMMELL NET. Eno View. PANES re fe +4 ee Se ee vast i mm = Ne | vane See ALLENS SSS SESS RES ~ SS SSS 12h33-93. THE INLAND WATERS FISHERIES. 19 and of all weights and sizes. There is vacant here a field _ for successful enterprise to men who would enter upon the business with proper appliances; those now im use on the. lake are crude in the extreme. They consist of avery indifferently hung net, and a bultow or long line, to which are attached snoods about a foot in length furnished with hooks; these, when baited with meat, chrysalis, grub, or other tempting morsel are lowered into the water, moored, and left for some hours, very frequently all night. ’? some of the old men replied: “ Baal! I know; you see that all a same long time. Old fellow black been make him murry long time ago.” They stated that several different tribes had the right of fishing, but they could only take fish from their own yards. So long as there is a flow of water in the river, fish in varying quantities may be obtained ; but it is imme- diately on the fall of the river, after a heavy flood, that the great harvest is obtained. When the water is high the fish are dived for. When the river is about its normal height, the blacks wade in and spear or net the fish. There are generally a few old blacks camped on either side of the river in small camps of bark-gunyahs or break-winds of bushes, and they appear to watch their tribal interests, and repair the walls when requisite. If fish are plentiful the other members of the tribe gather at the “ Fisheries”’ ; if scarce, they go up or down the river, or hunt in the plains ata distance. One feature of the “ Fisheries ” is the immense number of aquatic birds of a predatory character which frequent it. Cormorants, divers, grebes, &c., are always in great force, besides spoonbills, cranes, crows, and others which appear to find a good feeding-ground, so that the destruction of young G 98 ABORIGINAL FISHERIES. fish must be very great., One of the blacks was asked why they did not shoot the divers and stop them eating the fish, to which he replied with true aboriginal humour, “ Well, you see that only ‘nother fellow blackfellow and that must eat,” but at a later visit I saw a diver being roasted at one of the camp fires. } The “ Fisheries ” must always be a matter of interest to the student of Australian ethnology, enshrouded as its first construction is in mystery, and from the fact that, although the Brewarrina fishery has proved such a lasting and con- tinuous success, it does not'appear that any similar construc- tion has ever been attempted elsewhere. CANOES AND FISHING. From ‘‘ Notes on the Aborigines of Australia.”’ By Joun F. Many. THE management of a bark-canoe is perhaps as remarkable a feat as that of tree-climbing. In constructing a canoe a suitable tree is selected, generally a stringy-bark. Two horizontal rings are cut round the tree through the bark, at a distance apart of 8,10, or 12 feet, and a perpendicular cut down one side enables'the whole sheet to be carefully removed. The rough exterior is pared off, leaving the thin, hard inside shell. It is then placed over a fire; this enables the ends to be gathered up and folded. Sharp sticks like skewers are passed through these folds, and secured by cords or bands of bark. The opening of the canoe is preserved by stretchers or sticks placed across. Whilst stripping the bark from the tree, the black makes use of a ladder, formed by cutting notches in a strong forked sapling, which is leant against the tree. These canoes support a very considerable load. With a blackfellow alone they draw but a few inches of water. Being perfectly round at bottom, having no keel, they over- turn with the slightest movement; yet in these frail canoes I have known blacks to make wonderful journeys. A settler on the Clyde, many years ago, engaged a black and his canoe to remove all his effects from one side of the river to the other. I saw him with a heavy bullock plough in his CANOES AND FISHING. 99 canoe. After removing farm implements and furniture, he removed several tons of potatoes, his canoe being but an inch or two above the water on each trip. One ojd man, white with age when I knew him, seemed to have passed his life in one. He would traverse Lake Macquarie and go out into the open sea; from this Jake he would carry his canoe across the neck of land separating it from Tuggerah Beach Lake, thence to Brisbane Water, and across Broken Bay to Pittwater, and made periodical visits up the Hawkesbury River. He was never without fish in his canoe, which was often so laden as to be only a few inches above the water. This old man, “ Jew-fish’”’ by name, eventually became so cramped that when on shore he could retain no other position than that which sitting in a canoe compelled him to adopt. I have also known the blacks at Bateman’s Bay to go out as far as the Tollgate Islands. They are often pursued by sharks, when they paddle away for the nearest shore, throwing over as they go along any fish they may happen to have. The blackfellow, whilst fishing from his canoe, which he does by means of a spear, sits on his haunches, his right leg doubled under him, his left knee drawn up to his shoulder. In his right hand he carries his ‘‘ wammerah” or throwing- stick, formed to serve as a paddle; in his left a small piece of flat wood, also as a paddle, whilst his fishing-spear lies across in front of him, ready for use. On spearing a fish he paddles up to his spear, and instead of pulling it out at once gives it another thrust in, so as to ensure its capture. As refraction causes a difference between the true and apparent position of the fish, great practice is necessary. ‘They seldom miss their object. Women also fish from canoes, but with a hook and line; they never use a spear. They fix the canoe in position along the edge of a bank by driving the long pointed stick, which they invariably carry, into the sand or mud. They then pass one of their arms round the pole, or tie the canoe to it, so as to steady it. By means of a flat stone and clay for a hearth, they can light a fire and cook fish. They are often accompanied by one or more children, who have to remain very quiet. A fishing-spear consists of a grass-tree shaft with four long prongs of hardwood inserted at one end of it. Some- times the stem of the gigantic lily is used, but this is not so 100 ABORIGINAL CANOES AND FISHING. strong or so durable as the grass-tree. The test as to the fitness of the egrass-tree for this purpose is the manner in which it breaks off from the stem of the tree. It is never cut with a tomahawk, and must not be either too green or too dry. In constructing a spear, two splits are made at one end of the stick, at right angles, and the pith extracted to the depth of 8 or 4 inches. This end is then bound round with ribbon- like strips of bark, obtained from a small shrub or from the kurryjong tree. The aperture is then filled with grass-tree eum, a resin having much the appearance of gamboge in its pure state, but as generally used it is not unlike pitch, in consequence of the effects of exposure to the smoke of bush fires. Into this, whilst in a soft state, the four prongs, slightly tapered at the end, are pressed. This has the effect of forcing much of the gum through the splits and through the band of bark, when by holding it near the fire, the gum is neatly spread over the joints. These prongs, which are from 15 to 18 inches long, are scraped to a fine point, and barbed by means of a small splinter of bone fastened to the end. The four points of this spear form a square about 1 inch or more apart, and are kept in position by small wedges of wood passed between the prongs and fastened by bands of ribbon bark. The pith from the other end of the spear is extracted to the depth of about an inch, the end is bound with twine, and the whole stopped with the fine scrapings of hardwood, which serves as a pad for the hook of the “ wammerah,” or throwing-stick, to press against. Other erass-tree spears are made in a similar manner, but with only one prong. In those parts where the grass-tree does not exist, the spearis made of one long straight piece of wood, which is cut from the side of a standing tree. The “ wammerah,”’ a stick by means of which the spear is thrown, is about 3 feet long, in shape something like a long- handled spoon; the spoon, a rather flat part, being used as a paddle when fishing from a canoe; at the opposite end a short piece of stick is fastened so as to form a hook. In throwing a spear, the broad end of the wammerah is held across the palm of the hand, with the point of the hook pressing against the pad in the end of the spear, the spear at the same time being held firmly between the forefinger and thumb. By the use of the stick, great force and impetus is given to it, and makes it a much more formidable weapon: than those ABORIGINAL FISHING INSTRUMENTs. 101 spears which are made from one piece of wood and are thrown by the hand as darts. Occasionally these spears have sharp splinters of quartz or of glass fastened along one side. Solid spears are frequently made with one or more barbs. In those parts of the country where the wammerah is not required as a paddle, they are formed from one stick, the hook being the natural fork of the branch. 102 CLARENCE RIVER FRESH FISH COMPANY. APPENDIX. The Clarence River Fresh Fish and Canning Company (Limited). Tux following particulars respecting this company have been supplied by Mr. Frederick A. Rankin, one of the promoters :— In the early part of the year 1888 it was determined to test practically the question whether Australian fish could be profitably preserved after the style of English fresh herrings. Accordingly, in conjunction with my partner, Mr. E. J. M‘Donald, I initiated arrangements at Iluka, a village at the Clarence River Heads. This venture subsequently merged into the Clarence River Fresh Fish and Canning Company (Limited). The fish treated consisted of whiting, sea-bream, black-bream, sea-mullet, and flat-tail mullet. As ours was the first attempt to place Australian preserved fish on the market, we had of course to contend with all such difficulties as those that usually beset the pioneers of a new industry. After repeated experiments we discovered that the only kinds of fish that could be profitably preserved were the mullet. All the other species commanded too high a price in the market in the fresh- caught state to admit of our company purchasing at a price which, for our purposes, would yield profitable results; indeed, it was only when there happened to be a glut of fish that we could get anything but mullet from the fishermen. Each basket of 80 lb. gross weight would average in the cans only from 42 lb. to 45 1b. At the first start the demand for the article was so brisk that we found difficulty in providing the supply, but afterwards it began to slack off and finally ceased altogether. The reason of this was that our agents insisted upon our supplying them with cases of assorted kinds, to get which we had to employ boats for the purpose. This was quite outside the proposed objects of our company, and though it enabled us to provide the desired assortments, we could not produce them at a price to suit the public. Moreover, as the bream and other fish of hard-spined formation possess dense bone, which no amount of cooking will sotten, we found that our treatment of those fish did not suit the popular taste. There was at one time a prejudice against the sea mullet, but that has been overcome, and fortunately so too, for when preserved in the proper season they really rival the tinned English salmon—certainly they are, for preserving purposes, the best fish in Australian waters. Our progress so far bas proved that a good article can be turned out ata fair profit, but we have not yet fully completed arrangements for placing it properly upon the market. In this, however, we anticipate but little difficulty ; but whether the business will ever become a large one will depend very much upon the possibility of being able to draw our fish supply from the sea. It is believed that this can be done, and in due time the company intends to make the experiment. Our industry seems capable of great developments, but as yet we have not ad- vanced it beyond the embryo stage. The works of the company comprise in the canning department all the latest and best appliances, and by a small addition to the preserving department the company could, if required, turn out 4,000 1-lb. tins per diem. The company is also erecting cooling chambers for the storage of fish awaiting shipment in the fresh captured, FRESH WATER FISH ACCLIMATISATION. 103 state to Sydney. For reasons already assigned, the immediate future operations of the company will be confined to mullet only. When the supply of whiting is in excess of the demand, all that can be obtained will be treated after the styie of English kippered herrings. Fresh Water Fish Acclimatisation. By Joun Gate, Queanbeyan, In July, 1888, Mr. F. Campbell, J.P., of Yarralumla, Queanbeyan, and I, went from the latter town to Ballarat, Victoria, and obtained from the Acclimatisation Society there a number of young trout, English perch, and Russian carp. We were to have been supplied with about 1,000 trout, which were placed in a nursery pond awaiting our arrival ; unfortunately, the day before reaching our destination it was discovered that the pond had been netted by poachers, and the greater part of the fish stolen. We were fortunate, under the circumstances, in obtaining over 300 trout. They were yearlings, measuring from 3 inches to 5 inches in length, and strong vigorous fish. They were of two varieties—the American brown trout and the English spotted trout. In addition to these, we had about eighty perch and about forty carp. We were furnished with tin cans of about 6 gallons capacity each—two for the trout, and one each for the perch and carp. For the purpose of aerating and agitating the water in the cans containing the trout —an essential matter so far as trout in travel are concerned—we were also provided with a pair of bellows with 3 or 4 feet of india-rubber tubing attached to the nozzle. From the Acclimatisation Society’s ground, on the margin of Lake Windouree, to the Ballarat Railway Station is about 2 miles distant, and I conveyed them thither in a waggonette. My companion had been detained at Melbourne by sickness, and on this morning I was to meet him on the Ballarat Station, and proceed with our delicate freight to Melbourne. During the stay of about thirty minutes on the railway plat- form at Ballarat, the fish tanks were allowed to rest without being aerated— an almost fatal oversight—for when the train arrived from Melbourne with my friend, and I took him to see the fish, the trout were all on their backs. Fortunately a few minutes’ use of the bellows and tubing brought them round, and from that moment till we reached our destination there was no cessation in the use of the bellows. We had, by the indulgence of the Secretary for Railways, Victoria (Mr. Labertouche), a large saloon carriage to our exclusive use, so that we had every facility for manipulation. At Melbourne we had to wait six hours for the through express to Sydney. The station-master there kindly placed our fish in charge of a porter, whose duty it became during that time to incessantly use the bellows. From Melbourne to Yass (New South Wales), a journey of about fourteen hours, we had a compartment of a railway carriage to our exclusive use. It was through the night, and my companion and [ took watch and watch of three hours each, during which the bellows were not permitted to be at rest more than ten minutes ata time. ‘Till we reached Yass we had lost but one fish— a trout. Thence we had a special coach to carry us to Queanbeyan, a distance of 45 miles. At Jeir, about 20 miles from Yass, we diluted the water with some fresh from a small stream. There had been only one change before this, at Albury, water from the Murray River being sub- stituted for that obtained from Windouree Lake. I feared the consequences, 104 FRESH WATER FISH ACCLIMATISATION. as the water was not only at freezing point, needles of ice being on the surface of the stream, but it tasted a little brackish. I, however, yielded to my friend’s wish. Shortly after the mistake was evident, for the fish began to die—trout, carp, and perch. At Canberra, about 12 miles from our destination, we had upwards of forty dead fish. At this point Mr. Campbell was met by his servant man, to whom we entrusted about sixty trout, to be placed in the Cotter River (about 25 miles distant), a tributary of the Murrumbidgee fed by the springs from the Australian Alps—a magnificent stream for trout. We placed forty in the Queanbeyan River, sixty in the Molonglo River, twelve in the Yass River, and twelve in the Naas River, also tributaries of the Murrumbidgee, the same day. The balance we forwarded by coach and rail to Braidwood (34 miles) for the Little River, which flows seaward, and to Bibbenluke, Monaro, a tributary of the Snowy River. All these fish reached their destination without a single death. As an experi- ment, we also brought four trout, three perch, and three carp, in hermetically sealed jars, and the result was successful, only one trout—a little fellow sick from the start—succumbed. The distance from Ballarat to Queanbeyan is about 450 miles, and the fish were thirty hours in transit. Bibbenluke is another 100 miles, and Braidwood 34 miles; so that our efforts, so far as placing the fish in the waters of their respective destinations, were highly successful. Not less so has been the result. We have no account from the Yass, Naas, or Little Rivers, but both in the Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers they have bred mervellously and grown large, having been occasionally caught as heavy as from 3 Ib. to 53 lb. a year ago. The Cotter River is teeming with trout, and they are descending the Murrumbidgee River, having been caught at Cavan, near Yass. Mr. Edwards, to whom we entrusted those destined for the Bibbenluke River, the second year after the parent fish were placed there, netted hundreds of small trout by way of experiment. My own opinion is, that your Department would meet with equal success, if instead of sending fry of only a month or two old, you could keep these in a nursery till at least a year old, and then distribute them. Ours was the first successful effort that | know of of the introduction of trout into the rivers of New South Wales. The perch and carp were all placed in waters near Queanbeyan, but I have heard nothing of them since. The Correlation of the Inlets and the Offing Fisheries. By ALExanpER O.tver, M.A. In a letter published a few days ago I promised to say something on a subject not very accurately indicated by the heading to this letter. In redeeming that promise I should at the outset admit that anything like scientific elaboration of this most interesting question will not be attempted. Nevertheless, I am not without hope that some of’ the conclusions to which I have been brought may possibly induce a few thoughtful persons who take an interest in our sea fisheries to regard our inlet nurseries from a new point of view, Weare told that we have nearly 700 miles of coast-line, lying between the 29th and 36th parallels of south latitude (Point Danger and Cape Howe). I believe the actual length of our coast-line measured along its margin must be at least 100 miles longer ; 4 INLETS AND OFFING FISHERIES—THEIR CORRELATION. 105 but let us take the official figures, and suppose our seaboard for purposes of the fisheries to be 680 miles in length. That seaboard is indented by large bays like Twofold, Jervis, Port Stephens, and Botany, and by an almost incredible number of inlets, the sea outlets of lagoons or lakes, varying in area from 100 to 100,000 acres. Add to these the embouchures of a large number of rivers and creeks springing from the main range or its foot-hills, and we have a vast and varied series of fish nurseries distributed along the entire length of our coast-line, the importance of which to the support of a constant stream of supply of the very best form of our food fishes has never yet been properly represented. Nor has the correlative value of these inlets to the migratory and other families of our sea fishes been, so far as I know, presented in its proper light. Between the coast-line and the 100-fathom line various intermediate lines of soundings have been taken, but no banks of any extent, I may say no true banks at all have been discovered. Deep soundings seem, as a rule, to approach every considerable promontory or high land along the whole length of our coast-line, and to recede eastward between the headlands of all bights. There are almost innumerable sunken rocks, known as ‘“ Bunboras,” and large areas of foul ground, haunted by all varieties of rock-loving fish, particularly by the schnapper, the kingfish, and the traglin. There are islands, and islets, and rocks-awash in large variety, and there are the submarine continuations of rocky formations jutting out (below the sea level) for several, sometimes so far as 10 or 15 miles from land. In short, the offings afford all the variety of sea-bottom suitable as feeding grounds for our special forms of bottom fish, and among these for the schnapper, a fish which in our waters may, for economic purpose, stand for the cod of Northern Seas, just as the mullet, the most prolific of our high-swimming or surface fish, may be regarded as the substitute, for like purposes, of the herring of Northern Seas; but we must not fall into the prevalent error of assuming that our seas can ever afford such a harvest of schnapper or mullet as do the Northern Seas of Europe aud America of cod and herring. The fact is that the possible “ output” of schnapper is very limited compared with that of the cod family, and vast as are the schools of mullet, which from March to May in every year— sometimes as early as February—swarm out of every considerable river, lake, and inlet along the seaboard from the Gippsland Lakes to the Tweed River, that fish bears no comparison in the matter of fecundity with the elupeids, of which our ‘‘maray” is the Australian representative of the pilchard variety of that family. True, we have never yet seriously attempted to gather in the harvest of our fisheries situated beyond half a day’s sail from Port Jackson. Hundreds of square miles of the best of our grounds lie beyond the range of fishing- boat or railway, and many of these are still, to all practical purposes, virgin fisheries, and likely to remain so until steamers with cool chambers shall establish business relations between them and the metropolitan market. These virgin fisheries are, however, precisely the same as were the once famous grounds between Broken Bay and Port Hacking. They are stocked in exactly the same way as Long Reef and the Coogee offing grounds were once and might still be stocked, and a score of equally celebrfted and productive grounds near Sydney which have satisfied our wants for more than half a century, but are now worked out. An examination of the Admiralty charts for those sections of the coast which lie northward of Terrigal and southward of Stantield Bay, or, say Port Hacking, will best explain my meaning, if accompanied by a slight knowledge of the localities so much the better. ‘The reader unprovided with charity will necessarily 106 INLETS AND OFFING FISHERIES—THEIR CORRELATION. be at some disadvantage; and much that I have to say will have to be accepted by him, if at all, in faith. But he may be assured at all events on this point that what I shall ask him to believe will be derived from my own personal knowledge, acquired during a course of more than twenty years of coastal visitation, mostly out of the track of the intercolonial steamer, the timber ketch, and the newspaper reporter concerning the offing fisheries of the Colony. Then, I submit for the consideration of those who know, or care to know, something about their origin, and their prospects, as sources of supply for a large market, this proposition: The capability of any given schnapper ground, wherever situated on our coast, is measurable by its proximity to one or more inlets possessing tolerably deep and quiet waters, and not liable to be scoured by floods, or to have their salt-water converted into brackish by the contributions of rivers having their rise in the main range. It must, of course, be understood that this proposition has reference exclusively to the schnapper. The perches, the mullets, the flathead, the jew fish, the tailor, the black fish, and other forms of our edible fishes, have no antipathy to brackish water, but the schnapper in every stage of growth avoids it as if it were a poisonous environment. The occurrence of a flood in the Hawkesbury regularly means the exodus of the red bream, not only from the river and its embrochure, but for such a distance therefrom as may bring them to water of the necessary salinity. This statement may seem strange to those who know that flood-water, owing to its gmaller specific gravity, floats over the salter water into which it is introduced, but the fact is, nevertheless, as I state it; and what is true of the Hawkesbury is true of the Tweed, the Clarence, the Richmond, the Macleay, the Shoal- haven, and the Clyde; that is to say, of all our rivers which bring down con- siderable volumes of fresh water from mountain or tableland sources. At this moment the volume of flood-water still coming down the Hawkesbury is such as to colour the water as far as South Head, three miles from the river’s southern headland (Baranjo’). Few of the schnapper family can be found within the influence of their fresh water. There are, of course, red bream to be caught in the saline depths of Pittwater and Cowan and in the Broadwater of Brisbane Water, but whenever the fresh water makes its influence felt there very few of the speride (the schnapper family) will be found. The Hawkesbury water ceases to be discoloured by fresh water about the neighbourhood of Little Reef, about 5 miles from Baranjo, and the southerly current cleanses it in the offing, about three miles to the east- ward of that promontory. Within these limits no schnapper will be found, or but very rarely. 1 have been informed, on the best authority, that precisely the same condition of things prevails on grounds within the influ- ence of other rivers similar to the Hawkesbury ; and I have no doubt that all along the coast-line the schnapper family have been evicted from their holdings in the neighbourhood of the rivers carrying mud-fresh water, and have been compelled to seek salter water away out to seaward. They will return, of course, to their accustomed haunts as the flood-waters are absorbed by the ocean or evaporated, but not before. Returning now to my contention (that the capabilities of any given schnapper ground off the coast are measurable by its proximity to a com- mensurate area of deep and undisturbed salt-water inlet), I should’ like to guard myself from being misunderstood. I know perfectly well what mag- nificent catches of schnapper could at this moment be secured at scores of places far distant from any such inlets as I have described. For example, over the large area of Zingth ground marked by tle Solitaries, off the Point Danger cluster of reefs, the Mermaid, Bumbora, and scores of other places. INLETS AND OFFING FISHERIES—THEIR CORRELATION. 107 It is certainly the fact that three fishermen, in ordinary weather, could easily fill a schnapper boat in a few hours. But these fisheries would never stand the racket of half a century’s persistent fishing, as did Long Reef and the Port Hacking, Botany, Coogee, and Broken Bay grounds, as well as the grounds off our own harbour. In my opinion, a very few years’ heavy fishing would impoverish them, because, unlike the grounds just mentioned, there are no neighbouring nurseries like Port Jackson, Cowan, Pittwater, Brisbane Water, Port Hacking, Botany,and George’s River, from which they could draw constant streams of immigrating red bream. And though the coastal rivers — are admirably conditioned for the propagation and growth of the mullet and other families, they are not for the schnapper family. There is too much fresh water in them. in flood times, and in drought times they are too much infested by submarine growths fatal both to oyster life and to the lives of the oung of some of the deep water fishes, of the schnapper family in particular. With regard to the spawning of the schnapper, itis most unfortunate that very little is known. ‘lhe commonly accepted belief among fishermen and other observers is that the schnapper spawns in quiet places outside the inlets as a rule, while some river-hunting fish spawn in suitable places within their range of habitat. The school fish, easily recognised by all of us who are familiar with the family, by their colour and other well-known features, are generally said to deposit their ova towards the middle of the summer months; as a rule, not later than February. The schnapper in its later developments is known to change its habitat, and to frequent inshore reefs and inlets, and there to spawn. The young fry in all cases seek for an asylum from their enemies, and for food otherwise denied them, in sheltered deeps where they can fatten on the spawn of other fish, and particularly of oysters and other mollusks and crustaceans, and on the manifold microscopic organ- isms in which the waters of these asylums are so fertile. In shallow rivers, like those I have named, the black-bream and its congener the tarwhine prospers, but not the red bream. The red bream—that is_ to say, the year old progeny of the schnapper, generally hatched at sea, becomes from its cock-schnapper period, a denizen of the inlets. He is very rarely caught in the offing grounds. The inlets with deep water in them are his ordained nurseries, and in them he remains until, by an instinct not at present to be analysed by our observers, he feels that it is time for him to leave the nursery, and reach out to the submarine and tumultuous world outside. Let those nurseries be harried by nets and other agencies of destruction, as Port Jackson, Port Hacking, Botany, and George’s River, and the deep portions of Broken Bay have been harried, and their offshore fisheries will report at once a lack of schnapper. But still some youngsters are left in the nurseries, and these, in due course, instinctively seek the reefs and school grounds outside, and the race, for market purposes, is: not absolutely extinguished. So, all our neighbouring schnapper grounds, still though to a very limited degree, produce some schnapper. The catalogue of a successful day’s fishing reaches a dozen fish now, which twenty years ago reached 20 or even 40 dozen. But the breed is not extinct, because the nursery is always at hand, and some few parent fish are left to restock their natural fattening grounds. For the next decade or so I think the magnificent area of shoal grounds (known as Sir John Young Banks) lying slightly within the Shoalhaven Bight, and the equally productive grounds lying between the Broughton Islands and Cape Hawke, replenished in one’case by the deep adjacent inlets of Jervis Bay, and in the other by those of Port Stephens, will be found sufficiently well stocked with schnapper to withstand the severest drain on 108 INLETS AND OFFING FISHERIES—THEIR CORRELATION. their resources; but, unless those adjacent inlets are saved from the annihilating, ceaseless net-——not at present I confess, a very serious trouble —certainly their capabilities of supplying the offing grounds in their vicinity will be diminished, until those grounds, at present almost virgin, are reduced to the pitiable condition of Long Reef, Coogee, and other grounds in the ‘vicinity of Port Jackson. It must be within the knowledge of all fishermen, professional or amateur, of middle age, that less than twenty years ago they could easily take from 6 to 20 dozen large red bream in such fisheries as Port Hacking, Botany, our own harbour, Pitt Water, or Brisbane Water ina morning’s fishing. The catch would now be at most one or two fish for the dozen of that time. Of course the reason of this decadence is that the destruction of the younger generations is so large and so persistent that the offing fisheries have long ceased to receive their regular succession of two and three year old bream. The number of spawning fish on the outside grounds is therefore continually being diminished, while their enemies for the like reason increase. The leather-jacket—the worst enemy to the ova, and young fry of the schnapper —fills up the void caused by this systematic destruction and very largely augments it. Off any of the depths from Pelican and Belmont up to Cockle Creek in Lake Macquarie there might be caught without much trouble from 10 to 20 dozen of fine squires during a morning’s fishing. I have frequently caucht that number myself in years gone by. The result of persistent netting by seines, and the sunken nets or trawls, of the beaches and even the deep waters of that lake, is that one can now hardly procure a good mess of line fish during a whole day’s fishing. And the offing fisheries of the lake from off Redhead to Catherine Hill Bay have proportionately suffered. The destruction in the lake has reacted on the supply outside Tuggarah Lake, and its, outside schnapper grounds, from Bird Island to Terrigal high land, (Point Upright) have suffered in an exactly similar way. Schnapperare still to be obtained in boatloads at the Sir John Young Banks because Jervis Bay and the waters of the Shoalhaven are comparatively free from netters. But it is said that the netting in Lake Illawarra has already told on the schnapper grounds off the Five Islands and their vicinity. Enough, perhaps, has been said to make it obvious to any person, though but very moderately acquainted with the habits of the schnapper family, that the true schnapper nurseries for the school grounds off the coast of this Colony are the deepwater inlets in their vicinity, and that a permanent succession of fish can only be ensured in cases where the annual catch is balanced by the arrivals of young stock. The apparent exceptions to this’ conclusion, as I have hinted at, are derived from tishing grounds that have never been subjected to the constant drain of the Sydney market. The question then arises, is it, or is it not, too late to restock our exhausted schnapper fisheries within the home division by closing for a sufficient period the neighbouring deepwater inlets, which “are known” to be nurseries of the young schnapper. For example: Cowan and perhaps a portion of Pitt Water for the Broken Bay grounds ; Middle Harbour for the Port Jackson grounds; Tuggarah Lake for the Tuggarah grounds; and by vigorously enforcing the closure of Port Hacking for the Botany grounds. At present we close the upper waters of our river and inlet fisheries, and, as a rule, open the lower or deep portions. I think the converse experiment is certainly also worth trying ; for if the grounds within 30 miles of the Heads were restored even to their condition of ten or fifteen years ago, it would be a great boon both to schnapper fishers and schnapper eaters—that is to say, to the entire community. THE WORM DISEASE IN OYSTERS. 109 Commissioners of Fisheries for New South Wales, appointed under the Fisheries Act, 1881. Hon. W. Macleay......... President. Hon. W. B. Dalley ...... Hon. H. C. Dangar ...... Hon. Geo. Thornton - Appointed 19 April, 1881. Mr. Alex. Oliver ......... Date of Appointment. Hon. Richard Hill ...... Vice Hon. Geo. Thornton, resigned..... 5 April, 1882. Mr. Geo. F. Want ...... », Hon. W. B. Dalley, resigned ...... 5 May, 1882. Mr. John H. Geddes ... », Hon. H. C. Dangar, resigned ...... 5 June, 1882. Mi phede thomas: 52... », Mr. Alex. Oliver, resigned ......... 18 October, 1882. WTS. COR ssjacscasee » Hon. W. Macleay, resigned......... 18 October, 1882. Mier dass is Ha 532.0 Vice Mr. John H. Geddes, resigned ... 3 January, 1885. MirwAllexs Oliver! sissies », Mr. Geo. F. Want, resigned ...... 13 May, 1885. Mir Ser El.) -Hiyamiessceuce » Mr. F. G. Thomas, resigned ...... 11 June, 1886. Drm ase On COXPo se cere GLeSIGeNG. Leap POIMbed ubs.eeanec-caneda sears 20 October, 1887. Drs. ea eRamSa vay acces Vice Hon. Richard Hill, resigned......... 5 November, 1887. Present Board of Commissioners. Drs dass Ch Coxf sis...) President, reappointed from ............... 20 October, 1887. Mire asses elle 2.52.52 Reappomtedstromystecssr.sesseeeeeeeen essere 3 January, 1885. Hon. 8S. H. Hyam ...... Reappormmbed frome wesc ceecdsesec-cseseesee se 11 June, 1886. Dri Py Ramsay, |... -. Neappombedetrowmiy mecesccence seat scccensea ses 5 November, 1887. Hon. W. R. Campbell... Vice Mr. Alex. Oliver, resigned. Appointed: (Ons fac. . ’ . ‘ ‘ ' . 1 wit . \ - ra ha s { ¥ . " = 5 . : { 2 ‘ ' \ r ‘ : os Fy : be yt . 5 . ; i. - . ’ s ‘ . . . ’ 2 ; v ' r ‘ 1 - @ iY ' = : x ; ‘, , : . ri \ ’ = \ . = > ff \ . toe 3 ' s 7 ‘ . ‘ " iret, t i { = 4 " ‘ Ci ‘ ‘ Fi 7 ’ : ‘ v ‘ ’ . X h e ‘ : & n s ‘ . ‘ , - re a . ri ’ 4 a o, . 7 s zn ak P t - a rod . - ; , 2 . , , ie ‘ ‘ r] ° . = w ' ; f . F ‘ ‘ e , ; : i . - ’ . / * ~ 3 . 1 4 rh ‘ - E ae * " yi . , : a fd ’ oP “i ; i . . . ¥ . f * t . EXPLANATION OF PLATE 4. Fig..1. Transverse section of lower valve, exhibiting a series of cavities formed by the ” ” bed » oyster in its attempts to cover over the various patches of mud collected by the worms. Theentrances to some of the cavities may be seen on the right hand side of the figure (the anterior margin). 2. Section of upper valve showing two cavities, with the openings also on the anterior margin. 3. Upper valve showing the extent of the mud patch collected by a single worm, and the surface of the mud coyered by a thin uncalcified membrane. 4. Tubes erected by Polydora at the aperture of its tunnel. The attenuated tentacles are seen protruding from the mouth of one. Enlarged under a lens, after Prof. McIntosh. 5. Upper valve showing an elevated nodule; near its summit is the tube of the worm projecting at right angles to that of the nodule; the latter is so situated that when the oyster closed its valve there was no communication from without. 6. Edge of an old shell, exhibiting the grooves made by the action of the worms in moving in and out of tubes. The grooves only exist at the margin, and disappear entirely inwards. Slightly enlarged. 7,8, & 9. Sections of shells showing the openings of the tubes occupied by worms. Fig. 7 first stage ; Fig. 8 second stage; Fig. 9 third stage. Enlarged three times. See page 8. », 10. Portion of a blister showing the inequalities on the inner surface. See page 6. PRATE 4. REPRODUCED BY PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHY FROM DRAWINGS BY G. H. BARROW. IB. 12h 137 - oh, bapodeln dy Ce i SS RR RE ——— [(Pertof) Australias Agre 464640 a Je J}t a Middle I# diers Pt PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHED AT THE GOVT. PRINTING OFFICE, SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES. aA shige | a 35 Broughton mG Providence Map of the MYALL |LAKES Chains’ " Ee ” eens es Brann_by tinngsten. f Mann y PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHED AT THE GOVT. PRINTING OFFICE YONEY, NEW SOUTH WALES —e “& x rm 2 , € Q < oe rey sleeve ; RR Se > “ . a he, whe « lg € Rend * NS LAKE MACQUARIE Scale CHAINS Oo fo 8 4 OO 1 fuiies PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHED AT THE GOVT. 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