APPENDIX. 103 



seen in the paragraph on sexual maturity, the lobster in Narragansett 

 Bay in all probability is 9 inches, or slightly over, when it becomes 

 sexually mature. In Massachusetts, Herrick found the average to be 

 10+ inches, and perhaps in the colder water of the State of Maine, it 

 may be still greater. It is to be regretted that a uniform law has not 

 been established. The fact that often the lobsters do not mature 

 until they have passed the legal length, and the proportionately 

 small number of eggs which the first spawning produces, tends to 

 diminish the value of this law. In the light of our present knowledge 

 of the biology of the lobster, the most valuable feature of such a law 

 is seen to be the fact that protection is given to the lobster where it is 

 most harassed by its enemies, and is most receptible to the attacks 

 because of its frequent molting. 



3. Protection of Large Lobsters. For a few years there has been 

 agitated a change in the laws, so as to prevent the capture of lobsters 

 over a certain length. In this way protection would be given the 

 large lobsters instead of the small ones. It is argued in favor of this 

 scheme that: 



(1) Lobsters bear eggs in geometrical proportion to their length: 

 8-inch lobsters, 5,000; 10-inch, 10,000; 12-inch, 20,000, etc. If these 

 old ones are saved, more spawn will be hatched, and the greater the 

 number of eggs hatched, the greater number of lobsters will result. 



(2) The larger the lobster becomes, the more immune it is from 

 its enemies; and since, barring accidents, there seems to be no limit 

 to the size which it may attain, there will always be spawners to keep 

 up the supply. 



(3) It will be easy to enforce a law of this kind, since pots may be 

 required to have an opening under a certain size. This will prevent 

 the big lobsters from entering. 



(4) The older ones are not so tender meated, and thus the least 

 possible damage will be done to the fisheries. 



It is argued on the opposing side that, if the young ones were caught 

 where would the old ones come from, and also that protection should 

 be given the lobster during the period which is most critical. This 



