Longlines—And

Now Nets

FROM two separate sources came news in November of what appears to be a new type of fishing by the Japanese in their South Pacific operations In the past there has been much interest in their long-line tuna fishing technique, but they are now evidently also using set nets.

The master of the Noumea vessel Tayo, when in mid-ocean, bound for Port Kembla, NSW, recently passed a Japanese fishing vessel of several hundred tons towing a long buoyed net.

The New Zealand yacht Flamingo, on arrival in Noumea from Norfolk Island, late October, reported that she had fouled a long buoyed net, set on the open ocean well north of Norfolk. Some difficulty was ex perienced in getting clear of this obstruction. There was no vessel in attendance. A small vessel cruis ing through one of these set nets would probably foul her propellers completely.

A US Fish & Wildlife survey vessel some time ago passed close to a very long buoyed fishing line between Palmyra and Hawaii, which was assumed to be Japanese. No

tending vessel was sighted.

It has been suggested that the present Jap fishing activity in Southern waters may be attributed partly to the effects of the H-bomb on their regular North Pacific grounds.

U Rev. H. L. Fiebig, president the New Zealand Methodist Coi ference, arrived in Sydney late Jui from the Solomon Islands to mal a goodwill tour of the Eastei most important consideration bi States.