80 



LOBSTER CULTURE. 



By ALEXANDER MEEK. 



Another method of protectmg the lobster is by providing 

 hatcheries where the berried lobsters may be retained until the 

 larvae are hatched, and where the larvae may be reared to the 

 lobsterhng stage. To do this effectually it is deskable in the first 

 place to protect the berried lobster, so that arrangements may 

 easily be made for obtaining a supply of berried lobsters. It has 

 already been ascertained — see our last two reports — that a plentiful 

 supply of larvae can be obtained by keepmg the berried lobsters 

 in large tanks or ponds. But no practical gain to the fisheries 

 would result from this being done, if the berried lobster were pro- 

 tected, unless the larvae could be reared to the stage when they 

 begin to interest themselves more particularly in the bottom. 



During the season of 1913 our experiments were directed 

 to contrasting various kinds of rearmg tanks in and outside 

 the Laboratory, and it must be confessed with disappointing results. 

 Towards the end of May twenty-five berried lobsters were placed 

 in one of the supply tanks of the Laboratory, and when the larvae 

 appeared on July 9th, experiments w^ere instituted in tanks of 

 various sizes at the Laboratory, and an attempt was also made to 

 test a floating tank at the Fame Islands. 



The results of the Laboratory experiments are indicated in 

 the following table : — 



Tank. 



Size. 



Capacity. 



Number of 

 Larvae. 



Number of 

 Lobster- 

 lings. 



Per cent. 



Outside — A 

 B 

 C 

 Inside — D 

 E 

 F 



Feet. 

 19x11^x7*9 

 15x8x2i 

 20 X 8 X 2| 

 9x3x3^ 

 14^x4x4i 

 5ix4x4J 



1000 

 1000 

 1000 

 1000 

 500 

 250 



70 

 25 

 10 



7 

 13 



2 



7-0 

 2-5 

 1.0 

 0-7 

 2-6 

 0-8 



The water in the outside tanks was renewed during pumping, 

 and in the inside tanks water was running constantly ; and as 



