1872: Stewart Island's fisheries promise riches for settlers

Some months ago His Honour the Superintendent requested Mr W. H. Pearson, Commissioner of Crown Lands at Invercargill, to indicate the most suitable spots in Stewart's Island for the location of immigrants from the Orkney, Shetland, and Western Islands of Scotland.

Mr Pearson's reports were presented to the Provincial Council during its late session, and from them we extract the following:

THE FISHERIES
To experienced thrift, the fisheries around Stewart's Island promise, not only comfortable subsistence, but wealth.

The occupation has hitherto been carried on in a desultory manner by a few residents, most of whom, partly from imperfect knowledge, partly from inadequate means, have been incapacitated from properly cultivating the rich field at their disposal.

That they have been able to subsist at all, support their families, and in, one or two cases make money, with the disadvantages they have laboured under, is the best evidence that the undertaking could be conducted to a most successful issue, by men whose life-training has rendered them adepts at the occupation, masters of the position.

The fishing has been pursued entirely with set nets and fishing lines. The bays and harbours are, during the summer months, frequented by shoals of "Trumpeter" and "Moki" both fish of rare excellence.

The latter can only be caught with nets laid in the shallow waters, along the edges of the bays, and kelp beds inside them; these nets could be laid down with ease by the wives or children of the fishermen in any weather.

The Blue Cod, though caught in the bays, is found in largest numbers all along the north and east coast of the island, from Rugged Point to Wilson Bay.

I have seen them pulled up with lines, three or four to each, as rapidly as the baits could be fixed and let down.

The Groper, a lordly fish, is also largely caught with the hook on its favourite banks off the same coast, and in the vicinity of Mason Bay.

The head and shoulders of this fish, boiled, equals the best home cod; and smoked or salted is excellent.

It is of such size, and its flesh so firm and compact, it can be cut and cooked like a beefsteak. These, with Barracouta, which cures well, and is of size, may be considered the staple fish of the Island, but I have no doubt when the trawl net is substituted for the present imperfect fishing gear, new and good varieties will be discovered in the Strait and vicinity of the island.

There is every evidence that the supply of fish, most of very superior quality, is inexhaustible, and no season appears to affect it.

Irrespective of its fishing banks, Stewart Island possesses a not inconsiderable source of wealth in its oyster beds.

These may be said to have hardly been touched, though the Stewart Island oyster has been known for many years in the New Zealand and Melbourne markets. The trade, carried on at first almost exclusively by Maoris and half-castes, has lately assumed wider dimensions.

As the shallow beds, principally at Port Adventure, where the bivalve could at low water be easily obtained, became exhausted, deep sea beds were discovered by European fishermen, and the dredge substituted for the hand as means for gathering them.

The Stewart's Island oyster has an established reputation for superior excellence in every market it has been introduced into; in Melbourne it commands a higher price than any other, and I see no reason why the greater part of New Zealand, and the whole of the Australian Colonies, where the oyster beds are being rapidly depopulated, could not be regularly supplied from the island.

- July, 3

 

 

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