31 



amongst the others. They are very light, full of water, and perfectly useless CRABS. 



for the table. These white-footed crabs come from July to October. They Soft. 



are a loss to his business, as he cannot sell them, and if his shopman send one 



out by accident it is returned. Sending out such crabs injures the business of 



the fishmonger. It is very desirable that the sale of these white crabs should 



be prohibited. Would welcome an Act of Parliament prohibiting the sale of 



them, and it would benefit the public at large. The " spent " crabs are those 



which have recently shed their shells, and upon which the new shell has not 



hardened. Crab fishermen are in the habit of killing these white crabs. Such 



crabs should be returned into the water in order to grow into hard crabs. 



Is also a dealer in lobsters. Lobsters have not.fallen off in the same manner LOBSTERS, 

 as crabs, but are very much dearer than formerly. Prices fluctuate according p r i ce , 

 to Billingsgate prices, which vary with the supply from Norway and elsewhere. 

 They have lately decreased in size very greatly. No lobsters should be sold 

 under 9 inches, measured from the head to the end of the tail. Lobsters that 

 size and larger could be sold better than smaller. Small lobsters should be 

 returned to the water. Has received them as small as 4 or 5 inches, but such Gauge. 

 small ones should not be allowed to be sold. Often receives spawn lobsters. 

 Is now receiving great quantities of spawning lobsters from the Orkneys. 

 Orkney lobsters are the best and very large. The spawn is used by cooks Berried. 

 to colour the sauce. It is a very great waste. If the public knew that 

 the sauce in an ordinary sauce boat represented 1,000 lobsters they would not 

 continue to use the eggs, which only please the eye, and in no way improve 

 the flavour of the sauce. Has known the spawn when scarce to be sold at 6d. 

 an ounce. There should be a close time for berried lobsters and small lobsters Close time. 

 from 1st July to middle of August. It would be better if they were both put 

 back into the sea at all times. All lobsters under 9 inches should be put back. 

 Lobsters are not good for table just after spawning. When they have just 

 spawned they are black under the tail, instead of being bright coloured. The 

 Isle of Man crab fishery is nothing like what it used to be either in the size 

 or quality of the fish. If the foregoing gauge and close time were enacted, it 

 would benefit the trade of Southport, and increase the general supply of crabs 

 and lobsters. If berried hens were put back into the water lobsters would be 

 more plentiful and cheaper. 



William Howard. Has been for five years a fishmonger in Southport. CRABS. 

 Is in the habit of dealing in crabs and lobsters. The best season for crabs is Season. 

 in the summer. Those sold in Southport are from the Isle of Man, Ireland 

 and Scotland. In the summer most of them come from the Isle of Man, and 

 they are the best. Crabs are small this season, and a great deal dearer 

 and scarcer than last season. They generally run from 5 to 8 or 9 inches. 

 {Produced two crabs, one 4f inches, the other 4-| inches.) Often has them smaller 

 than that in a barrel, many of them only 3 inches. Such small crabs are not 

 profitable. Visitors and hotel-keepers will not buy them. Often has to 

 throw them away. There should be a prohibition of the sale of all crabs Gauge. 

 under 5 inches at any time of the year. There ought to be a close time for C i ose fi me% 

 crabs from August to April. Just now not one out of twenty in a barrel are 

 fit for sale. Often finds ( ' spent " crabs beginning about August and getting Soft. 

 worse during the winter season. Cannot sell them, and often has to throw 

 them away. If customers buy them they do not find them good, and bring 

 them back again. There should be a law to prohibit entirely the sale of spent 

 crabs ; it would increase business, and make crabs cheaper. Does not often 

 have crabs with eggs under the tail, they are very rarely caught. Lobsters LOBSTERS, 

 were scarce last summer, but are more plentiful now, and weigh from one 

 pound to three pounds. In a basket of lobsters there are always some small, 

 even less than a quarter of a pound. The small ones are not saleable. A 

 lobster should not be less than a pound, which would be about 9 to 10 inches Gauge. 

 long. Small lobsters should not be sold at all, and should be allowed to grow 

 into big ones. The berried hens are valuable. The eggs are used for colouring 

 sauce. Cooks always want spawn, and there is always a great demand for 

 berried hens. 



William Wright. Has been a fish dealer for between three and four years 

 and for seventeen years a trawl fisherman. Has heard Mr. Howard's evidence 

 and agrees with it. Small crabs should not be sold. The minimum gauge 

 40353. p 



