68 ABOUT LOBSTERS 



caught is related to the diameter of the eye, much 

 more markedly than is the case with lobsters. In the 

 test, the average length of lobster caught by creels of 

 eye diameter 4" was 10.6" as compared with 10.8" for 

 creels of 6" eye diameter. In the case of crabs the 

 comparable carapace widths were 5.2" and 5.6" respec- 

 tively. The results obtained, however, depend to some 

 extent upon the stock composition of the populations 

 being fished. For instance, on grounds where the lob- 

 sters are mainly large, the size restriction of the creel 

 eye would be more apparent than with a well fished 

 stock where few lobsters were over 12" overall length. 

 The deterrent effect to larger lobsters of a small sized 

 creel eye has been shown in an experiment comparing 

 the catch of a hoop net with that of a Scottish creel, 

 since there is no size restriction with a hoop net. Using 

 a creel with an eye of diameter Ay 2 " there was a pro- 

 gressive falling off in the efficiency of the creel vis-a-vis 

 the hoop net in respect of lengths of over 10y 2 ", while 

 for lobsters of lengths \2 l / 2 " to 14" the creel proved 

 little better than half as efficient as the hoop net when 

 comparing the number of large lobsters caught by each 

 gear with the catch of 100 lobsters of 10 l / 2 " and under. 



Very small lobsters can escape from traps between 

 the meshes or laths. Larger sizes may escape through 

 the eye. While a large eye facilitates entry, it also fa- 

 cilitates escape, and the two effects tend to offset each 

 other. Also, smaller lobsters and crabs escape more 

 readily than larger ones. The interplay of these factors 

 has been shown to result in a larger average size of 

 lobsters being landed from single-entrance creels than 

 from creels with two eyes of the same size, when hauled 

 daily. The effect, however, could well vaiy according 

 to the fishing conditions, for example, the necessity to 

 leave creels out two or more days. 



It has been shown that lobsters and crabs enter a 

 creel more readily if the lower half of the eye inlet is 

 lined by fine mesh netting. The rig of the eye has been 



