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The 5-inch gauge should be applied equally to he and she crabs. The LOBSTERS, 

 smallest lobsters are 5 inches long, but not many are caught now. The Gauge. 

 average size is 8 inches. All lobsters under 6 inches in length should be put 

 back. If all the berried hens were put back the fishery would not be worth 

 attending to. There arc 40 men using 20 boats. The average number of pots 

 carried is three dozen to a boat, or 720 pots in all. The fishing ground is 

 about nine miles long and three miles wide. The depth of water from 1 to 22 

 fathoms. 



The fishing begins in March and the fishermen fish as long as as they can. 



John Little. Has been crabbing 20 years. Crabs and lobsters are not 

 so plentiful as they used to be. Crabs crawl according to the season. In spring 

 the fishermen go further out to sea and catch lobsters. The ground at Looe 

 has not been so much fished because of the driving boats, which begin fishing 

 in July and go on till September. Lobsters are then in deep water and are Migration. 

 protected by the drift nets. 



n Buns " or " queens " or " she '■' crabs should be put back to the water if CRABS, 

 under 5 inches long. Many crabs run as small as 4 inches. " Sheer " or sick G f ' 

 crabs should always be returned to the sea. The fishermen very often break Soft! 6 ' 

 up small : crabs for bait. If the weather is hot in May no lobsters can be 

 caught ; if it is cool three or four dozen may be caught in a day. 



In a month or two the hollow hens come. Little lobsters would go through LOBSTERS, 

 the bars of the pots, just like shrimps. 



Always tries to keep a stock of bait. Generally keeps gurnards pickled in 

 brine. It is necessary to keep the colours bright because lobsters seem to be Bait. 

 attracted by colour. The lobster ground is very rocky. Pots are set in the 

 "pills," i.e. hollows in the rocks. They are worth 20s. per dozen ; the lines are 

 worth Is. each. Crabs live longer than the lobsters in stony ground. CRABS. 



Edward Pengelly. Has been crabbing for many years. Where there 



was one crab formerly there are ten now. The men who owned the smacks Increase ' 

 used to get the profit, now the fishermen send away the crabs and lobsters 

 direct. Formerly they sold them for 85. per dozen of 26, now they get 14s. 

 per real dozen of 12. 



Crabs are fished for harder than they used to be on account of the increased 

 price. The season begins in March and ends in July, Would propose that 

 cock crabs of 5 inches and hen crabs of 4 or 4^ inches should be returned to Gauge. 

 the water. 



John Medland. Has been 30 years crabbing. Begins fishing in February 

 and keeps on as long as he can, sometimes to the end of September. The 

 number of boats has increased from 5 to 20. Cannot say if crabs have Boats. 

 diminished in number. 



Cock crabs under 5 inches and hens under 4 inches should be returned to Gauge. 

 the water. Would not think such a law oppressive. If berried hens were 

 returned to the sea they would be caught again as " hollows." Berried hens 

 might be kept in pots and allowed to spawn there. Would like to have April Close Time 

 and May a close time ; during those months crabs and lobsters would cast 

 their spawn. Few small lobsters are caught. Seldom sees crabs in spawn ; if Spawning. 

 any are seen it is in May. They bury themselves in the sand. 



Lobsters are not plugged here, their claws are cut or tied. 



William Prynne. Thinks the increased price paid for crabs and lobsters, 

 is the cause of their falling off. All males and females under 5 inches should 

 be returned to the water. Many small crabs are broken up and used as bait. Used for bait. 

 They are used as bait to catch crabs. When the " hookers " knock off, bait is 

 scarce, and then crabs are used. From July onwards bait is scarce because 

 the fishermen are all gone pilchard fishing. Young # crabs are valuable as bait 

 at certain times of the year. 



The natural close time for crabs and lobsters begins on 1st August. Young 

 crabs are the best bait for wrasse, and wrasse are an excellent bait for lobsters. 



Common sense leads the fishermen to spare the small crabs at all times 

 except when they are required as bait. The fishermen agree with him that 

 when the hookers have done fishing bait is very scarce, and that under these 

 circumstances it is absolutely necessary to break up small crabs to catch 

 wrasse, which are used to catch lobsters. The Looe men have sufficient sense 

 to return the small crabs at all other times of the year. 



