72 ABOUT LOBSTERS 



to handle and make it possible to increase the number 

 of traps which can be stored on board ship. This latter 

 factor is of especial importance where exposed coasts 

 are fished or when crews are engaged in cruises of sev- 

 eral days' duration; the ability to ship all the gear, for 

 instance, to move to sheltered waters, is important. 

 Where traps are fished not singly but with several at- 

 tached along a common ground rope, small traps may 

 permit working bigger fleets since it must be possible 

 to accommodate the whole of one fleet on board. 



Because of the advantage of being able to stow a 

 large number of traps a variety of collapsible types have 

 been designed. So far, however, none of these has 

 found general acceptance amongst fishermen, although 

 further trial may be advisable. 



Bait 



There is a natural tendency to think that a larger 

 quantity of bait will attract more lobsters and crabs. In 

 experiments, carried out with Scottish creels and Corn- 

 ish pots in Orkney, the catch of lobsters and crabs with 

 half a salted mackerel per trap was not significantly less 

 than when three times this amount was used. The re- 

 spective catches were 56 lobsters for single baitings 

 compared with 59 for triple baitings. 



Summary of Suggestions 



1. If available, use fresh fish for bait. 



2. Use net covered creels, avoiding wooden parts 

 in construction as far as convenient; for instance, by 

 adopting iron hoops and casting the concrete into the 

 creel so that it forms part of the base. 



3. Use double-headed creels with the heads high 

 rigged and located in the sides. 



4. Line the lower half of the head inlet with fine 

 mesh netting. 



