44 



Lastly, artificial hatching can be rendered still more effective- 

 by artificial rearing, namely by keeping the free-swimming forms 

 in comparative security from tiie attacks of their natural enemies 

 by rearing them in ponds or enclosures until they lia\-e passed 

 the pelagic stage and have become ground-frequenting forms. 

 It is possible, however, that this may not be easily accom- 

 plished in the case of the crawfish, as it apparently passes 

 through a long free-swimming larval stage. Further in\-esti- 

 gation of this point is required. 



With regard to the general question as to what steps should 

 now be taken to modify or extend the present laws, with a 

 view to preserving an industry which is apparently threatened 

 by inadequate protection and by the prospect of much more 

 extensive fishing operations in the immediate future, it would 

 appear that the most effective means would be the protection 

 of the female between 2^ and 4:^ inches (new measurement). 

 There does not appear to be the same need for protecting the 

 very young forms, up to say i|- inches, nor the males of any 

 size, but in view of the threatened decrease in the supply it 

 may not be advisable to withdraw any of the present restric- 

 tions, (including four months close season as recommended by 

 the Fisheries Ad\'isory Board), which do not impose a \-ery 

 heavy burden on fishing operations and afford some pro- 

 tection however small and inadequate. The proposed alteration 

 therefore would be the raisi)ig of the size limit fro}}i ^^ to 4 inches, 

 measured from the base oj the eyestalk to the end of the carapace 

 {or four and one-fourth inches measured from the tip of the 

 rostrum or beak). 



Still more effective measures would be the protection 

 throughout the 3'ear of all female crawfish, and this may yet 

 have to be seriously considered. 



It is to be borne in mind in framing such regulations that 

 the ordinary fishing operations of the Cape fishermen for the 

 Cape market do not seem to have affected the supply so 

 seriously as those of the canning companies for oversea mar- 

 kets, if indeed the former have affected it at all, and the question 

 may therefore be raised as to whether a distinction should 

 not be made between these two in framing restricti\'e regu- 

 lations. 



Whatever difficulty there may be in adjusting the difference 

 between the immediate interests of the factories and the 

 permanent preservation of the industry, there is no such 

 trouble in the methods of preser\-ing or augmenting the 

 supply of crawfish by means of artificial hatching and rearing, 

 and all agree as to the desirability of carrying on further 

 investigation which may lead to a more adequate knowledge 



