wrasse ; small crabs are one of the best bait for wrasse. Spider crabs are also CRABS. 



used. Unless the Coastguard were directed to carry out the law, small fish j^ for. 



would infallibly be broken up for bait. The efficacy of the law must depend 



on the Admiralty giving permission to the Coastguard to enforce it. A close LOBSTERS. 



season should be made for female lobsters, from 1st March to 30th April, when C i me ^~ m 



they are full of berries. This law should apply to Cornwall, but it would he 



difficult to have a merely local law. Since he saw an advertisement of this Berried. 



inquiry, a month ago, he has had 400 lobsters, and only 18 berried hens. 



Infers from this that the breeding season is from March to April. Male 



lobsters would be sufficient to supply the trade. Thinks female lobsters would 



not be broken up for bait. 



(By Mr. Buck land.) There are as many large crabs as ever, but the fishermen Railways- 

 go for them to deeper water. They go further in pursuit of crabs than they 

 used to do. The railway has had a great tendency to take crabs, &c, away 

 from Falmouth. Trammels vary from 30 to GO fathoms in length. They are LOBSTERS, 

 used in deep water. The majority of the fishermen would welcome a pro- t - — 

 tection Act, but the minority, say, 2 out of 7, would break up small crabs. ree ma ' 

 Fishmongers are very anxious to have berried hens. He thinks lobsters only CRABS. 



spawn once a year. Considers a lobster 9 inches long to be three years old ; a . 



lobster of 5 inches was the smallest he ever had. Has seen lobsters cast their $J^f Wflr ^* r 

 berries against the boards of tanks in which they are kept. Never saw small 

 lobsters. Thinks lobsters shed their shells every year. Thinks crabs of a cer- 

 tain age never shed their shells. When they have done growing they do not 

 require new coats. A white crab is the ordinary crab in a delicate state, having 

 shed its shell; it is semi-transparent. The shell is so soft as to be easily 

 broken, like fine glass. Thinks crabs in this state are just getting a new shell. 

 White, thin crabs never have any barnacles stuck to them. 



Crabs are sent away alive, and are boiled alive, being put into cold water, Boiling. 

 and gradually heated. If they were put into boiling water, 10 crabs out of 

 every 12 would shoot their claw or claws, and the cream would boil out. If 

 they are killed first, by being stuck in the centre of the body, they bleed, and 

 the flavour is gone. Knows this of his own knowledge. He never plugs 

 lobsters. This is done at Durgan, but at Falmouth the claws are nicked. 

 This is done to prevent them fighting, and does not have the effect of bleeding 

 them. 



(By Mr. Walpole.) The boats at Porthscatho are reduced from 8 to 4; p ts. 

 consequently the number of crab catchers is reduced, and the smaller number 

 cannot catch as many crabs as the larger number. The four boats carry as many 

 pots as the eight boats used to. The number of catchers is diminished, but the 

 catching machinery is greater. 



Richard Collins. Lives at St. Mawes. Has been acquainted with the 

 crab and lobster fisheries for 14 years. There are 13 boats now at St. Mawes — 

 more than ever was known. They carry on an average 45 pots, or 500 to 600 

 pots in the aggregate. The fishermen fish from the shore to 5 miles out. 

 They go further out now than formerly. He thinks crabs and lobsters are not 

 so plentiful as they used to be, though there are more men engaged. There 

 are fewer fish now than there used to be. Attributes this to the destruction of Decrease. 

 small fish ; the fishermen sell more small fish than they used to. He would 

 be glad to see the destruction of small fish prevented; viz., female crabs Gauge. 

 under 6 inches; male crabs under 8 inches; and lobsters under 9 inches; and 

 cray-fish under 11 inches. 



Small crabs are not much used as bait; a few sickly crabs are broken up, Used for bait. 

 but the fishermen are plentifully supplied with bait. The ribs of the pots are 

 less than 3 inches apart now. Cannot say whether this should be altered. 

 Recommends a close season, so as not to allow fishing before the 1st March. 

 Drift-net fishing interferes with the crab fishing in July, August, and PMelMrdfish- 

 September. Crabs have a close season in those months when the pilchard nets m °' 

 are out, so a legal close season is not necessary. Five out of seven fishermen 

 would be glad of a gauge for crabs ; but there might be a difference of opinion 

 as to the size of the gauge. 



Is a fisherman, and entirely dependent on fishing for his living ; chiefly 

 seining, crab fishing only occasionally. There are men at St. Mawes who 

 are entirely dependent on crab and lobster fishing. Some of them would object 

 to legislation, but they ought to be in favour of it. 



