6 



of the berried lobsters cannot be discovered. Tbe Nortbumber- 

 land Sea Fisheries Committee is convinced that the protection 

 at present given in the district to the berried lobster is on the 

 right lines and desires to see the berried lobster generally- 

 protected all round the coast. 



A brief statement is also made as to the protection of the crab 

 in continuation of similar papers in previous reports. A con- 

 sideration of the available facts shows that a close time from 

 October let to December 31st is desirable on the Northumberland 

 coast and inferentially also in the North Eastern and Eastern 

 districts. An enquiry should be made apropos of this to find 

 out the main casting season of crabs in other districts. 



H. Morris-Airey, M.Sc, contributes a paper, the outcome 

 of experiments which he has been making on the south pier 

 at the mouth of the Tyne on the nature of the waves which 

 damage the crab pots of the fishermen. 



The experiment in mussel culture is still being continued at 

 Holy Island. There can be no doubt that the scaup there could 

 be made to support a large mussel farm, and the only important 

 matter to settle is how to set in motion the machinery which 

 would create a new industry for some of the men and women 

 at Holy Island, and which would also result in the encourage- 

 ment of line fishing on the coast. 



Much interest was aroused last autumn in the catches of 

 herring made by trawlers. Just after the close of the usual 

 herring season a number of North Shields trawlers fitted their 

 boats with a modified trawl net and commenced fishing for 

 herring. They were successful in discovering a large shoal of 

 herring which had assembled for spawning purposes. Through 

 the kindness of Mr. Purdy samples were obtained from time to 

 time during the period when the shoal appeared off the coast. 

 At the commencement of the period the herring passed from 

 the mattie to the hill condition, and, towards the end, before 

 they dispersed among the herrings were included a large number 

 of "spents." The school was therefore a late spawner and very 

 like in general appearance and even in detail to the herring 

 landed at and after this season at the southern ports of the 

 North Sea. The catches were landed in good condition, being 

 only inferior to drift net herring in appearance due to loss of 

 scales. They were cured quite successfully. 



