15 



The fishermen catch so many small crabs that large ones are not allowed to 

 grow. There is a ready demand for small crabs, which sell at 2d. each. The 

 fishery at Penberth used to be very small. 



Henry Blackwell. Is proprietor of the Queen's Hotel. Sees very few 

 crabs or lobsters ; a few females and very few males are brought about. 

 They are very small, and quite useless for use at the hotel. This has been the 

 case ever since the railway was opened to London in 1859. Has only bought one Railways. 

 crab for two years, and that was smuggled. Has often asked for crabs. 

 Large crabs are not hawked about as they used to be. Has had lobsters of a 

 certain size up to this year ; but this year has not had them. They are very 

 small, not larger than that {pointing to an S-inch lobster on the table) and 

 ought not to be taken. 



William Henry Rodd. Is Mayor of Penzance. The crab and lobster Pilchard fish- 

 fishermen complain that they are not sufficiently protected from the drift in &- 

 nets, and that therefore they have not sufficient opportunity for taking crabs 

 and lobsters. He is speaking of the ground 9 miles out to sea. Agrees with 

 the evidence already given as to a minimum size and close season for crabs 

 and lobsters. 



Stephen Harvey James (recalled). Has trouble to get crabs and lobsters 

 from his own cottagers. The wholesale fishermen take all or none. 



Stephen Bond. Lives at Sennen. Has been a crab and lobster fisher for 

 50 years. 50 years ago there were five to eight boats at Sennen. 40 years Boats. 

 ago there were no boats. They were all given up, because the price was low 

 and fish were scarce. The steamer for taking the fish to Bristol was started 

 more than 30 years ago. Before that, Mr. Scovell was the only buyer. 



In Mr. Scovell' s time he used to sell him fish at 8s. a dozen of 13. Two cray- 

 fish counted as one lobster. Lobsters under 11 inches long counted two fish. Mode of count- 

 Crabs under 7 inches counted four for one. Crabs above 7 inches and under ing. 

 11 counted two for one. These measurements are retained now. The 

 steamer caused the price to rise to 10s. a dozen, and now they have risen to 20s. 

 a dozen for cray fish, to 15s. a dozen for lobsters and crabs ; and hen crabs are 

 sold at 2c?. each. There are now 22 boats fishing at Sennen. The number of 

 pots was quite as great 50 years ago as at the present time. 50 years ago the CRABS. 



average catch was one fish to every two pots ; and the average now is much 



the same. There always was and still is a difference in the seasons ; some No decrease. 

 being good, others bad. The average take per boat is not much worse now 

 than it was 50 years ago. Fishermen are earning better wages than they were 

 50 years ago. He has not much to complain of. They sell no crabs under 

 5 inches. If they are in want of bait, they use crabs j if not, they throw the 

 small ones overboard. They mostly want crabs as bait. They use crabs as bait Used for bait. 

 for wrasse, and wrasse as bait for crabs. Even if a law were made restricting 

 the capture of unsizeable crabs, small crabs would be broken up for bait. Some- 

 times the fishermen are short of bait and are obliged to use small crabs. 

 They use trammels to catch bait. Not many crabs are caught in the trammels. 

 They break them up before they are taken out of the net, if they are caught, 

 and use them for bait. Does not think a close time for crabs necessary. 



Could remove the berries from a berried lobster. Could keep the lobster LOBSTERS, 

 till she got rid of the berries herself. Has put lobsters in a store pot without ^ —— 

 berries, and found them full of berries in three weeks. Does not think much ore P° • 

 of a law which would prohibit the capture of berried lobsters. Cannot catch 

 lobsters under 8-§ inches long. Does not want any law, and is in favour of 

 free trade in fishing. Is ready to supply Mr. Blackwell if he will give him 

 his price and take all his catch. Cannot sell him one or two picked fish. 



(By Mr. Buckland.) If he wants bait he must have it, whether it is small 

 crabs or not. If a law were made to throw back berried hens, many fishermen Berried. 

 would not go to sea fishing for lobsters. Could not keep berried hens in pots 

 in bad weather. The sea would dash the pots to pieces. Crabs and lobsters, 

 some years ago, came to a certain ground near the Longships, and were as 

 thick as possible, even when the fishermen left off fishing in September. Migration. 

 When the fishermen went back in March and April to look for them they 

 were all gone. 



Thomas Jackson, of Porthgwarra. Is a fisherman. Has fished for crabs, 

 lobsters, and cray-fish for 35 years. The fishery has decreased during the last 

 two years, so far as good fish are concerned. She crabs are as plentiful as ever. 

 40353. E 



