Dwindling Fish Supplies

Cause Alarm in Suva

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, Sept. 18.

THE apparently wholesale catching and selling of undersized or immature fish in Suva Harbour and neighbour ing Laucala Bay has obviously had a serious effect in depleting the Suva fish supply. The use of small-mesh nets by many fishermen (a large proportion of them Indians) is blamed.

It is also alleged that the widespread practice of using the New Guinea duva vine to poison the water, stupefying large fish and killing small fish, is at least an equal menace.

The situation is fully covered by Ordin ance, but, as is not uncommon in Fiji, the regulations under the Ordinance are. for the most part, ignored because there are not enough people to enforce the law.

To save the fish population from pos sible extermination a considerable num ber of European launch-owners and fisher men have offered to serve as volunteer “wardens.”

Neither the continuing protests (through the local Press) nor the would-be volun teers’ offer has received official recogni tion or acknowledgment.

The reason is, that although the Government is believed to read the Press ho official is ever officially aware of any thing that goes on in the Press unless the matter also goes into the “proper official channels.”

The Rev. G. J. Flatten, who first went to New Guinea as a Methodist Missionary in 1927, has resigned.