174 



edible crabs, but I have seen several specimens in shops 

 having a carapace breadth of about twelve inches. A crab 

 measuring nine inches would be considered a large one. 

 The crabs are captured by means of crab-pots (" creels," 

 Williamson; " creaves," Wilson), which are baited with 

 fish. In Port Erin the chief fishing season is from March 

 to September, but the crab fishery is continued through- 

 out the winter. Generally speaking, the chief fishing 

 season in the British Isles lasts from the early spring to 

 the autumn. In some districts, such as the North-East 

 of England, there is a close season. 



Fishermen are not allowed to sell crabs below four 

 and a half inches, berried crabs or soft crabs, but these 

 restrictions do not hold good concerning crabs used for 

 bait. Since, in some parts of the country, crabs are used 

 for bait to a large extent, these laws for the protection of 

 the crab fishery to some extent fail in their purpose. 

 The size limit may be increased at the discretion of the 

 local committees. In the Lancashire District the 

 minimum size is five inches. 



In the summer the mature crabs freqiient the inshore 

 waters, and in the winter they occur in the deeper off-shore 

 waters. The immature crabs do not take part in this 

 annual migratory cycle. The mature crabs cast in the 

 autumn, and the females are fertilised when " soft." 

 Spawning takes place in the deeper water in winter. The 

 larvae are hatched in the following summer in the inshore 

 waters. Wilson is of the opinion that the " berried " 



the Crab Fishery, 1893 and 1895. Also Proc. /?. Soc. Kdin., Vol. XX, 

 1894, p. 309. 



Meek. Northumberland Sea Fislieries Committee, 1897-1906. 



Buckland, Walpole and Young. Reports on the Crab and Lobster 

 Fisheries of England and Wales, of Scotland, and of Ireland 

 [C. 1695] , 1877, p. 56. 



Statistics regarding the crab fishery may be obtained from the 

 various Annual Reports of Inspectors, Sea Fisheries (England and 

 Wales). 



