82 



following sentence expressing the opinion of the Fishery 

 Board for Scotland : — * " From this review of contempor- 

 ary Sea Fisheries in other countries it appears that there 

 is a general complaint as to the diminution of fish in the 

 inshore waters ; that measures for the prohibition of the 

 landing or sale of immature fish have been adopted or are 

 being considered in many countries ; that the artificial 

 propagation of sea fish is now being prosecuted with vigour 

 by the fishery departments of several states ; and that 

 scientific investigations into the fisheries, by means of 

 surveying expeditions, marine laboratories, &c, are being 

 greatly developed and extended." 



Edible Crustacea — the Shrimp. 



The only edible Crustacea which are at present of 

 economic importance from the fishery point of view in 

 this district are the Shrimp {Grangon vulgaris), the 

 Prawn, (Paloemon serratus), and the Shank (Pandalus 

 annulicoriiis) ; but if a hatchery were established at Port 

 Erin, it would probably be worth while to hatch and rear 

 there in the rocky creeks, the Lobster (Homarus vulgaris), 

 Crab (Cancer pagur us), and the Norway Lobster (Nephrops 

 norvegicus), which latter is abundant in that neighbour- 

 hood. 



The Prawn, with which the usually much more abun- 

 dant Shank is commonly confused by the fishermen, has 

 not yet been the subject of any special work in the 

 laboratory ; but Shrimps have been largely investigated 

 during the summer and autumn both in regard to their food 

 and their reproduction. To take the food question first, 

 the most varied opinions are current amongst the shrimp- 

 ers as to what Shrimps feed upon (see L. M. B. C. Reports 

 No. 4, p. 32, and No. 5, p. 24) ; but the result of our 



* See their Report vol. X., p. 21, 



