Scientific Results of the New Zealand Government Trawling Expedition, 1907

<p>In 1907 with the object of assisting and furthering the fishing industry the New Zealand Government organized and carried out an extensive series of experimental trawling investigations, the objects, as detailed in the official reports, being &#39;to ascertain what extent of trawling-grounds existed, what varieties of marketable fish were obtainable in the different localities; to prove whether the conditions necessary for carrying on successful trawling existed in certain localities within workable distance of the best markets, and, if so, to place the information on record for the guidance of those interested in the trawling industry; and generally to acquire information on the distribution of food-fishes, etc., in the sea surrounding these islands.&#39;</p>
<p>The vessel used was the &#39;Nora Niven&#39;, built in Selby, and was constructed of
steel. She was 96 ft. long, the net register being 56 tons. In ordinary weather she could steam 8.5 knots an hour.</p>
<p>Though the expedition was fitted with several scientific appliances, such as sets of thermometers, sounding-apparatus, etc., all of which were regularly and systematically used, the provision for actual trawling was of the ordinary commercial type, designed only to arrest the larger or marketable fishes. No effort or arrangement was made to secure the smaller species or invertebrates, the presence or absence of
which may have an important bearing on the distribution of the
economic fishes. Occasionally, a smaller meshed cotton net was attached to sections of the trawl. When, however, this small net was used, the
increased number of species obtained was very marked.</p>
<p>The vessel left Wellington on the 5th June, 1907 for Stewart Island, and arrived in Auckland at the end of the expedition on August 26th 1907. Ninety-six hauls were made by the time Auckland was reached. The total weight of marketable fish brought to port by the trawler during the three-months cruise was 46,750 lb. 2,743 blue-cod (Parapercis colias) were taken at the Chatham Islands on hand-lines.</p>

1907年，新西兰政府为了协助并进一步推动渔业发展，组织并实施了一系列广泛的实验性拖网调查。如官方报告中所详细阐述，其目的在于确定存在多少拖网渔场，不同地区的市场可获取哪些鱼类品种；验证在距离最佳市场可操作范围内是否存在进行成功拖网的必要条件，若存在，则将相关信息记录在案，以指导对拖网业感兴趣的人士；并总体上获取有关这些岛屿周围海域中食鱼资源分布等信息。所使用的船只为‘诺拉·奈文号’，该船在塞尔比建造，由钢材制成，船身长度为96英尺，网具注册重量为56吨。在普通天气条件下，她可以以每小时8.5海里的速度航行。尽管探险队配备了多种科学设备，如温度计套装、测深仪器等，所有这些设备都得到了规律和系统的使用，但实际拖网作业的配备仅限于商业型，旨在捕获较大或可销售的鱼类。并未作出任何努力或安排来确保捕获较小的物种或无脊椎动物，而这些物种或无脊椎动物的存在与否可能对经济鱼类资源的分布产生重要影响。偶尔，会在拖网的某些部分附加较小的棉质网。然而，当使用这个小网时，获得的物种数量显著增加。该船于1907年6月5日从惠灵顿出发前往斯图尔特岛，并在探险结束时的8月26日抵达奥克兰。在抵达奥克兰之前，共进行了96次拖网作业。拖网船在三个月的巡航期间将46,750磅的可销售鱼类运抵港口。在查塔姆群岛，用手线捕获了2,743条蓝鳕鱼（Parapercis colias）。