J Michael M Youl The success of his experiment may have been the TASMANIAN Club address 6 July 2012 fore runner to storing animal and human semen and storing animal and human fertile eggs, IVF and so Good evening Gentlemen on [now I’m really out of my depth].

In the 1850’s and 60’s there was a strong desire by Packaging took a great deal of sorting out. James colonist in and Victoria to introduce Youl spent 10 years to find the right mix. His Atlantic salmon [ salmo salar ] to our beautiful experiments to retard hatching were carried out at clean and clear rivers the Crystal Palace, London, using ice from the Wenham Ice Co. Boston USA. The first attempt to transport Salmon ova was by Gottlieb Boccius in 1852 aboard the “Columbus”. The Tasmanian Government announced a reward of Wooden Troughs holding 60 gallons of water were 500 pounds in 1857 for the introduction of live slung gimbal style amid-ship, hoping the little ova Atlantic salmon [not live ova]. That was little would handle the sea trip. The experiment failed the support for JAY. water temperature was not controlled plus the ova Edward Wilson who was a part-owner and editor of had no protection The Argus newspaper in , and also founded the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria As James Youl is prominent in my address tonight persuaded the Society to offer 600 pounds to his I’ll provide his back ground. good friend James Youl to organize and manage a He was born Dec. 1810 in Sydney his Father was trial shipment of live salmon ova to in Rev. John Youl who came to Tasmania in 1819 as 1860. Chaplain To Port Dalrymple, James was educated in England returned to Tasmania in 1827 after his Youl accepted the challenge, and set about buying Father died and managed the family property 15 tons ice space on the American clipper “Sarah Symmons Plains he proved to be a very successful Carling”; trays were placed mid-ship, with a slight farmer. In 1852 Youl decided to lease his properties tilt. Gravel was spread for the little ova to cling to, because of the labour shortage caused by the Gold water was cooled by a piping system round the ice, Rush in Victoria and take his family to London. and flowing across the trays. I have not been able to fully understand or get my head completely round In 1854 Youl became interested in the problem “ this cumbersome apparatus. How to establish Atlantic salmon at the Antipodes Robert Ramsbottom collected 30,000 Salmon ova from the Dovey River in Wales, the Sarah Carling The 3 main issues James Youl needed to solve were sailed from Liverpool on 25 Feb. 1860 with 1. What size Atlantic salmon. Live fertilised Alexander Black in charge of the ova. Black’s main ova, fry, fingerlings, or larger salmon. work was to remove the dead ova. At 59 days out, 2. Packaging which became a huge obstacle all the ova had died the ice lasted for 65 days. 3. Transport Youl continued experimenting at the Crystal Palace, His choice was live ova, provided the hatching he travelled to Ireland Scotland, Belgium and could be retarded for at least 140 days. Robert France gaining information. In France he discovered Ramsbottom a leading pisciaculturists [a salmon live moss was used as packing for the little ova breeding expert] told Youl he may as well try to when transported. fetch Australia to England as try to ship live spawn . Salmon spawn must hatching or dying from the In 1861 The Tasmanian Government set up an moment it leaves the fish. Ramsbottom’s reasoning Atlantic salmon Commission , Dr Robert Officer was also the long sea voyage, because once he [later Sir Robert] was appointed Chairman, he was dropped a bottle of live fertilised ova and they all also the 2nd President of this Club. Other failed to hatched. commissioners who were Tasmanian Club members included Morton Allport, William Archer, James Youl’s decision to retard hatching was in my James Agnew [later Sir James] and probably other view, placed him many years in front of his time. members who I have not discovered. The Governments of Tas. Vic. and Southland NZ Youl was able to keep ova alive for more than contributed 3000, 500 and 200 pounds respectively 140 days without air, light or a continuous flow of for a trial shipment of salmon ova. James Youl was water. He was now confident the packaging appointed to arrange all details and the shipment problem had been solved. He was now working with public funds. Youl asked for William Ramsbottom [son of Robert] who was By now the town folk had settled down and teaching in Melbourne to be sent back to London to Dr. Officer on reading reports about the success of assist. Hatching Ponds were constructed at Plenty the pine box experiments was able to persuade the near New Norfolk. The plans for the hatching ponds Tasmanian Government to one more shipment. were sent from the UK by Curzon Allport brother to James Youl was asked to manage which he Morton, the ponds are still in place today and accepted, provided he worked with private funds known as The Salmon ponds at Plenty. and was in total control. He again requested William Ramsbottom be returned to London to The small steamer “Beautiful Star” was charted and assist. rigged as a barque. The Commissioners insisted on the voyage be made under canvas Youl searched for a fast sailing ship. He approached The ice was increased to 25 tons, and the Money Wigram and offered him 100 gns from his cumbersome apparatus was slightly improved. own purse for 50 tons of ice space in the super fast Ramsbottom collected 80,000 salmon ova mainly clipper “ Norfolk”. Wigram declined the offer, but from the Dovey River these were placed aboard counter offered same ice space at no charge plus small pine box packed with live ova that Youl provided his Co. gained all the PR. James Youl had been experimenting with. could not believe his good fortune. The Norfolk was due to sail on 20th Jan. 1864. Robert Ramsbottom The voyage was ill-fated. The ship cleared London was contacted to harvest the salmon spawn, but docks on 4th March 1862 with Wm Ramsbottom in unfortunately due to late collection in the season charge. It was delayed by bad weather, then had to most of the female salmon had spent . The reason return to port for repairs. At sea again, many storms for collecting salmon ova late in the season was so were encountered, the ice melted by the 74th day, the waters at the Antipodes had time to cool in the and all the ova had died. Then Wm R found the pine late Autumn. box Youl had placed at the bottom of the ice-stack; most of the ova were still alive and some survived Youl appealed in The Times to UK salmon for another 8 hours. breeders for help to allow this “noble fish” be shipped to Australia. By 18th Jan ova began to arrive The failed experiment proved very costly, James at the London docks, JAY and Wm R worked like Youl was abused by the Hobart town print media , beavers packing 100,000 salmon ova, but time was also by some of the Salmon Commissioners for running out. JAY asked Money Wigram to delay such a vast waste of public funds. James Youl put sailing by one day, this was agreed The day before his head down and continued to perfect his pine box sailing, 3000 Brown trout ova Salmo fario ] arrived idea, he decided in future to work with private at the docks, these were a gift from Admiral Keppel means rather than risk further criticism. who had requested two famous English naturalists, noted anglers and authors, Frank Buckland Now the Pine box [ which became quiet famous ] collected ova from the Itchen [ on Admiral Keppel’s size was approx 12 x 8 x 5 ins and built to withstand reach] and Francis Francis collected from the Wey the ice stack placed on top. The packing was in the river. These Brown Trout ova had very high following order. 1st charcoal, then crushed ice, next credentials. live moss with roots attached, then the ova poured Youl believed that Brown trout being more onto the moss, more moss to support the little ova, aggressive, and would eat his young salmon, but as more crushed ice and the lid screwed down. These this was a gift and excellent ova, He packed them in boxes were perforated on all sides allowing the the same manner as the salmon ova. By late pm. on melted iced water to pass through. The charcoal 20th Jan. 100,000 Atlantic salmon and 3000 trout helped absorb the Carbonic acid gas made from ova were packed in 181 boxes were all stacked in the odd dying ova . the ice house which was locked. The Norfolk sailed on 21st Jan. 1864. Youl AFL style, they were J. Youl, Money Wigram, consigned all the boxes to Edward Wilson Norfolk and Wm. Ramsbottom. Melbourne where the “Norfolk” was docking. The trout ova were sent to Wilson as a gift. The Norfolk By 8th June at the Plenty ponds 300 Brown trout and enjoyed an excellent passage, finally sailing across several thousand salmon had commenced their new Hobson’s Bay in full sail docking at Melbourne’s lives in a new hemisphere, they were kept in Station Pier on 15th April; 84 days out from separate ponds and fed finely chopped sheep’s liver. London. Their growth rate was exceptional and more so when released into the very healthy Derwent River. Edward Wilson was first to board Norfolk, the ice Within 3 to 4 years huge fish to 9 lb were caught in house was unlocked, one of the salmon boxes was the Derwent. opened and there was immense joy to see most of the ova were alive and healthy. Edward Wilson had Experts were certain the large fish were Atlantic cleverly arranged for Victoria’s only warship salmon; identification of salmon or trout is not easy. “Victoria” to carry the precious cargo to Hobart. In 1873 a 30 pound reward was offered for the 1st Wilson retained 11 boxes of Salmon ova [ Atlantic salmon or Grilse caught, won by Joseph not brown trout] for the Cronly later it was sadly decided the Atlantic Acclim. Society of Vic. as double insurance to start Salmon had all sailed off into the sunset. The a Salmon industry. Brown trout moved up and down the mighty Articles in the Melbourne’s Argus Hobart’s Derwent, with an abundance of food and few Mercury and Advertistier had Colonist eating predators, they found their way into the many Atlantic salmon before any hatching. natural lakes in the Tasmanian Highlands. There is no doult the success of the Brown trout story in Tasmania was due in many ways to the The Victoria arrived in Hobart on 20th April, again huge in put by Members of the Tasmanian Club with much excitement. Dr. Officer and Morton Allport were at the head of a long list of gentlemen who went on board. The small river steamer, “Emu” J M M Youl was waiting with a barge towed up the Derwent river to New Norfolk with the pine boxes plus the unmelted ice on board. The barge was further towed by two row boats to a jetty near the Ark Inn [which still stands to-day]. The last leg to the new Salmon Ponds at Plenty was a 4 mile track over very rough country.

On arrival at Plenty Wm. Ramsbottom and Morton Allport began the difficult task of unpacking the boxes and carefully place the live ova in their new home. Where the moss was still alive so were the little ova. It was estimated 30,000 Salmon and Trout ova were placed in separate ponds, the unmelted ice [some 12 tons] was used to cool down the waters of the Plenty river to 42 degrees Fahrenheit.

Now the wait. On the 4th May 1864 [104 days out from London] the first Brown trout arrived in the Southern hemisphere; next day an Atlantic salmon hatched, this was wonderful news. Salmon also hatched from the boxes kept in Melbourne at the new ice works. Edward Wilson when toasting the truly magic success, named the best players in true