Shark-Fishing in Papua
p. 43 · Read in the full issue
Prom Our Own Correspondent
Port Moresby, July 16.
MEMBERS of the group of N.Z. men investigating the possibilities of establishing a shark-fishing indus try in Fiji (June “P.1.M.”) may be in terested to learn that the industry was carried out in Papua with some success in 1932, though not on a large scale.
The skins were favourably received at the time by manufacturers of purses, handbags and shoes, and the oil by manufacturing chemists, who converted large quantities into substitutes for cod liver oil and embrocations. A shark’s liver, usually. 6 ft. in length, yields from 6 to 11 gallons of pure oil. The flesh and fins were special!v prepared and packed for China where they are highly prized as flavouring for soups and special dishes.
Sharks were caught by means of very large hooks, 10 in number, steel-wired and on swivels, baited with goat or fish, and swinging well out to sea from anchored drums. These were regularly inspected by launch and the wired hook with its live, fighting catch transferred to a towline.
The shark was then played to shallow water and speared. loma (Papua) Rubber Estates, Ltd., was registered in Sydney recently with a capital of £2,500 in 16,000 ordinary shares of 2/6 each and 10,000 deferred shares of
1/- each. First directors are Raymund C.
N. Primrose, Albert H. Watson and Albert M. Watson.