268 THE PLAGUE OF OCTOPUS ON THE SOUTH COAST, 



centase of lobsters lauded on the South Coast has declined from 

 75 per cent, in 188G-7 to 58 per cent, in 1896-9. 



Unfortunately we have no satisfactory information as to the changes 

 in catching power devoted to this branch of the fishing industry during 

 the period covered by the returns of fish landed. The information 

 contained in column 5 of the collectors' returns in the Annual Eeports 

 of the Inspectors of Sea Fisheries (E. and W.) gives a rough indication 

 of the number of boats engaged in crab and lobster fishing since 1892, 

 and I have tabulated the data there given for the two years 1892 and 

 1899 for the South Coast ports, with the following results : — 



Total No. of Boats Engaged. 

 Class. 



1st. 2ud. 3rd. 



1892* . . . 14 ... 206 ... 299 



1899t ■ . . 10 ... 209 ... 349 



These figures, if reliable, indicate that there has been no appreciable 

 increase in the number of 1st and 2nd class boats specially engaged in 

 crab and lobster fishing + on the South Coast during the past eight years. 

 The increase in the number of 3rd class (rowing) boats is probably more 

 apparent than real, as shown by the extraordinary numbers assigned in 

 the returns for Folkestone in 1899, and for Plymouth both in 1892 and 

 1899. 



Consequently the increase in the returns of crabs landed during the 

 past fourteen years may be taken as indicating an actual increase in 

 their abundance, though this conclusion does not accord with the 

 opinion of Plymouth fishermen whom I have questioned on the point. 



The next table (Table III.) shows the average number of crabs and 

 lobsters landed on the South Coast in each month of the year. It is 

 compiled from the monthly returns of the Board of Trade for the entire 

 term of fourteen years, 1886-99. It shows that the catch of shell fish 

 varies regularly with the seasons, being low in the cold months, and 

 high in the warm months. The six most productive months for both 

 crabs and lobsters are seen to be those from April to September. 



• Certain obvious errors in the official published figures have been corrected as follows : — 

 Kiugsdown. — 3rd class boats assigned, 3. 



Plymouth. — For " 150 3rd class boats " read " 25 2nd class boats." 

 Helford.— For " 3rd class " read " 2nd class." 

 t Corrected a.s follows:— 



Folkestone. — Six 1st class boats and 42 2nd class Ijoats have been eliminated, these 



being trawlers and line vessels. 

 Plymouth. — For " 100 3rd class boats " read " 20 2nd class boats." 

 t The number of South Coast trawling smacks (which catch a certain quantity of crabs) 

 has not increased 5 per cent, since 1889 (see this Journal, vi. p. 67, Table E), whereas the 

 increase in the annual returns of crabs exceeds 50 per cent, during the same period. 



