CRAB AND LOB&TER FISHERIES. 



c^ 



REPO R T 



ON THE 



CRAB AND LOBSTEK FISHERIES 



OF 



ENGLAND AND WALES. 



Home Office, Whitehall, 

 Sir, 1st March 1877. 



In obedience to your instructions of the 13th September Proceedings of 

 1876, we have the honour to inform you that we have held a Commis- 

 careful and protracted inquiry into the condition of the Crab and S1 

 Lobster Fisheries of England and Wales. 



In company with Mr. Young, one of the Commissioners of 

 Scotch Salmon Fisheries, we have also held an inquiry into the 

 condition of the Crab and Lobster Fisheries on the coasts of 

 Scotland. The results of our inquiry in Scotland are commu- 

 nicated by us to the Secretary of State in a separate report. 

 We believe, however, that it will be found that the two reports 

 are consistent with each other. 



The chief fisheries for crabs and lobsters in England and Wales Enumeration 

 are in Northumberland, Yorkshire, Norfolk, Sussex, Hampshire, gJggjjJP 81 

 Dorsetshire, Devonshire, and Cornwall The chief market for all 

 fish is at Billingsgate, though there are of course other large 

 provincial markets. The Norfolk fisheries formed the subject of 

 a separate report presented to Parliament during the Session of 

 1875. We have held sittings at North Sunderland and Culler- 

 coats in Northumberland ; at Whitby, Scarborough, Kobin Hood's 

 Bay, Flamborough, and Bridlington in Yorkshire ; at Cromer, 

 in Norfolk ; at Looe, Polruan, Polperro, Mevagissey, Falmouth, 

 St. Mawes, Durgan, Cadgwith, Penzance, and Sennen in Cornwall ; 

 at Plymouth, Wembury, Hope, Prawle, Hall Sands, and Budleigh 

 Salterton in Devonshire ; at Hamble in Hampshire ; at Bognor 

 in Sussex ; at Birmingham ; and at the Hall of the Fishmongers' 

 Company in London. 



Among the numerous places on the coast which it has been 

 our duty to visit, there has not been one where we have not been 

 welcomed by the fishermen ; among the many witnesses whom it 

 has been our duty to examine, there has hardly been one opposed 

 to all legislative interference. Laws for the government of the 





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