246 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The Board publish the following statistics in the 

 Memorandum as to the number of lobsters caught on tlie 

 West Coast in the years stated : — 



If this table be correct tlien there is clear evidence 

 of a rapid and serious decline in the yield of tlie West 

 Coast lobster fisheries, a decline which if not checked will 

 lead to the complete extinction of the fisheries in another 

 nine years or so. 



The Board state : — " On the West Coast the landings 

 in the second period of five years are 151,152, or 34'3 per 

 cent, less than those in the first, and the decrease from 

 year to year is fairly steady, 1909 showing a decrease of 

 over 50 per cent, on 1900." 



" There is reason to believe that the statistics have 

 been fuller and more accurate of late years, so that the 

 decrease shown .... notably for the West Coast is 

 not at all likely to be due to less efficient collection of 

 statistics." 



While this last statement may be perfectly true it 

 does not exclude the possibility of error. The decline 

 may be due, and as I sluill endeavour to sliow is really 

 due, to the more efiicienl collection of statistics and not 

 to a falling off in the fisheries. '^J'he fact is the earlier 

 totals for the West Coast are unfortunately fictitious 

 and are far too high. 



If til is he not the case tlien it is ol)\i<)Us that tlie 

 measures of protection, or the methods of enforcing them, 

 on the AVest Coast are not sufiicieut to preserve the 



