19 



and 4 miles east, and 4 miles south. The fishermen go beyond Kynance Cove LOBSTERS. 



on the west and Innis Head on the east. 20 years ago the average take per , , , ~T~ ) +. 



boat was 20 fish. The method of counting was, lobsters over 1 1 inches counted i ng , 



as one ; two crabs over 8 inches counted as one ; two lobsters under 



11 inches counted as one; four crabs under 8 inches counted as one. A fair 



average no\v-a-days would be about 14 fish, counting lobsters over 



11 inches as one fish, two lobsters under 11 inches as one; crabs under 



8 inches as one fish; and two crabs under 8 inches as one fish. Fewer fish 



are caught in each boat now, but the whole number of boats catch more in the 



aggregate. The price now is Is. a fish, and it has been is. 2d. Sells his fish Price. 



to Mr. Locke, of Southampton. The price when he began was 10s. a dozen 



of 26. Some seasons the crabs are very scarce, and sometimes they are very 



plentiful. There have been some years when even spider crabs were scarce, and 



hardly one could be caught in a day. Now they are very plentiful again. 



There are hardly so many fish in the ground now as there were 20 years ago. 



Thinks the scarcity is due to over-fishing. Lobsters are in about the same No decrease. 



quantity as they were 20 years ago. Thinks spawn crabs ought to be thrown CRABS. 



back to the sea. If spawn crabs are caught, it is in March and April. There - — 



are very few of them, and to throw them back would make very little s v awmn 3- 



difference. Would have no objection to throw back all small crabs. The Gauge. 



gauge proposed by the fishermen of St. Mawes, viz., 6 inches, would be too 



large. In Falmouth Bay the crabs are less plentiful than at the Lizard, but 



they are larger. 5 inches would be quite large enough for he crabs, and 



4 inches for she crabs, at the Lizard. Thinks there is no falling off in she 



crabs. Does not think it necessary to have any gauge for lobsters. 



The fishing begins in the middle of March or April, and ends about 20th 

 September. The rest of the year is a natural close season. The fishermen 

 break up crabs for bait from Midsummer to the end of the season. Very Used for bait. 

 black ones and soft ones are broken up when bait is scarce. Uses trammel 

 nets for catching bait, and catches crabs in them, but the crabs are not smashed 

 up. Small crabs would not be broken up for bait. Gets a third of his 

 living with his trammel net, and one third of the shell fish are taken in 

 the trammel. A good many cray-fish are caught on the coast. They come CRAY-FISH, 

 and go. ~ 



Anthony Jane. Has been fishing 43 years. There were six or seven boats 

 at Cadgwith and five at the Lizard 43 years ago. There are ten boats here 

 now, and two at the Lizard. Thinks the crabs are more plentiful than they Boats. 

 were. This last year has been a decent year. A little rough weather is good 

 for the crabs; smooth water and warmth is good for the cray-fish. Thinks 

 each boat gets as much as they did 43 years ago. The price is better and the LOBSTERS, 

 earnings are greater. Lobsters are just as thick as ever. Is very well satisfied - — 



with the fishery. Has heard Mr. Rutter's evidence about a minimum size ° ecrease - 

 for crabs, and thinks it would be a good thing to have a law to save he crabs CRABS, 

 of 5 inches and she crabs of 4 inches. Cannot say whether a she crab of 4 „ 

 inches has spawned. Has only seen one or two spawn crabs, and thinks a crab 

 of 4 inches may have spawned. Does not think it necessary to have a mini- Spawning. ' 

 mum size for lobsters. Rarely catches lobsters under 8 inches, and does not 

 keep them when he does. A law of size for crabs would not hurt the fishermen 

 and might do them good in the end. If he could not use trammels it would 

 be of no use to go on with the business. Has broken up as many as 20 or 30 

 crabs for bait in a day ; but does not now break up so many in a season. 

 There are 40 to 50 trammels in Cadgwith. 



Frederick Stephens. Has been fishing 28 years at Cadgwith. Thinks No decrease. 

 there is very little difference in the number of crabs. They vary in different 

 seasons. He fishes on the same ground as formerly. Lobsters are the same 

 as .crabs. Seasons vary. There is nothing the matter with the fishery. The 

 average number of pots to a boat is about 40. Six strings to a boat, and _g oa ^ # 

 six or seven pots in a string. The pots are set about 10 or 15 fathoms apart. 

 Would like to have unsizeable crabs returned to the water. Thinks the size 

 should be about 5 inches for he crabs and about 4 inches for she crabs. Gauge. 

 Thinks, however, that a law prohibiting the capture of any crabs under 5 

 inches, male or female, would do no harm. The law must apply to buyer, 

 seller, and catcher. If people did not purchase small crabs no one would 

 sell them. Lobsters are not decreasing. Does not catch so many small 



