size. Had only 150 lobsters from seven boats in six months. Thinks the ground LOBSTERS, 

 is over-fished because his neighbours found some new ground out at sea, ■ — 



three or four miles to the eastward, and caught from 100 to 1/30 lobsters 

 a week per boat. Cannot say whether lobsters migrate. About half the 

 lobsters were above, and half under, 11 inches in length. Has seen lobsters 

 18 inches long, and others only 4 or 5 inches long. These small ones also 

 fetch 6d. each. The heaviest he ever saw was 11 lbs. in weight. Has no 

 suggestions to make as to legislation for lobsters. 



Robert Pomeroy (examined by Mr. Walpole). Is a fisherman. Lives at CRABS. 

 Gorran Haven. Has been fishing for 10 years. Goes crab and lobster 

 fishing. There are 24 boats fishing from Gorran. Sells crabs in the neigh- 

 bourhood and to smacks from Southampton and other places. Sells crabs above 

 8 inches long at Is. 3d. each; below 8 inches and not less than b\ inches, for 

 half price. Crabs below 5h inches are sent away as " shes," reckoned at two 

 for one, or three for two. The Gorran boats go as far as Deadman Point, and Mode of count- 

 from the shore to three miles out. The boats go out about three miles a day. ing. 

 The highest number of pots carried by a boat is 84 ; the numbers vary from 

 that number down to 60. They sometimes take small crabs. Seven or eight 

 large crabs is the average take per day. From May to June the she crabs 

 come in and the men get small crabs. They never see she crabs much before 

 May, the small crabs come in with them. Has seen a few she crabs with 

 berries — one or two in a season. They are always thrown overboard. Thinks 

 the crabs spawn out at sea and migrate with the young ones afterwards. Migration. 

 Thinks they spawn in deep water in the early part of the year. Crabs are Spawning. 

 found on rocks and sand. Rocks are best for lobsters and sand is best for crabs. Habitat. 

 Would like to see an Act of Parliament making it compulsory to throw small 

 crabs back into the water. Thinks females under 5 inches should be Gauge. 

 thrown overboard, and all males under 5| inches. There would be no diffi- 

 culty in having two gauges, one for males and one for females. There are a 

 great many females above 5 inches and under 5^ inches. The outside size for 

 she crabs is 8 or 9 inches. An " outside " male crab would be 12 or 13 

 inches. 



Thinks it is not necessary to have a law about females carrying berries, but Serried. 

 considers that the trawlers bringing in berried hens do a great injury to the 

 crab fishers, and this should be prevented. But the trawlers could cut away Trawlers. 

 the berries, and the crabs could be afterwards sold. Never saw a crab with the 

 berries cut out or removed, and could not say whether it could be detected. 



Nature makes a close season, and no legal close time is necessary. The only Close time. 

 regulation necessary is the prohibition of the capture of small crabs. Crabs are 

 not decreasing in numbers. Thinks there are more crabs caught than ever. Increase. 

 But fishermen go further out to sea for them. There are a great many more 

 fishermen than there were. Some seasons crabs are more plentiful than they 

 are at others. Crabs are dearer than they were, but this is due rather to an 

 increased demand than to diminished supply. They are sent to all the large 

 towns in England. Thinks if small crabs were thrown away there would be an 

 increase of big ones. There is no want of food, and the supply might be 

 increased. There is plenty of food for double the number of crabs. 



Thinks crabs migrate from place to place. Cannot tell the age of crabs nor Casting their 

 the rate of growth. A crab of 4 inches would cast his shell three times before slieU - 

 he reached 8 inches. Has marked a soft crab with his initials in July 

 or August, and in the following spring has caught a hard crab with the same 

 initials. It was about 8| inches across when marked. Does not know whether 

 the crab grew much after it was marked, but thinks not. 



There are 24 boats at Gorran Haven, five or six at Mevagissey, and 26 at 

 Port Looe. 



The lobster season begins on January 1st and ends at the end of September. LOBSTERS. 

 Lobsters are fished for in deep water till August, and inshore after then. The t ~ — 

 boats come inshore in August to get out of the way of the drift nets, or they Migratwn - 

 would keep in deep water. The average take per boat per day is one or two 

 lobsters. A lobster of 11 inches sells for Is. 3d., under that size for half price. 

 About half the catch are 11 inches long. Berried hens are very scarce ; they are 

 found chiefly in the spring. Thinks lobsters spawn off-shore, in deep water. Spawning. 

 Lobsters are not increasing in number, indeed they are not so plentiful as Decrease. 

 they were. Perhaps they are over-fished in the deep water where most of the 



