32 



CRABS. 



Gauge. 



should be 5 inches. All under 5 inches should be an illegal catch. A full 

 crab is S inches. No " spent " crabs should be sold, and all small lobsters 

 should be put back. There are about 10 or 12 crab and lobster dealers in 

 Southport. Thinks they would agree on all points given in the evidence. 



Infant Schoolroom, North Sunderland, Tuesday, 14th November 



1876. 



Boats. 



Trunks. 



LOBSTERS. 



Close time. 



CRABS. 



Decrease. 



Sp atoning. 

 Soft. 



Railways. 



Gauge. 



LOBSTERS. 

 Berried. 



Present : 

 Frank Buckland and Spencer Walpole, Esquires. 



Robert Paterson {examined by Mr. Walpole). Of North Sunderland. Lived 

 47 years at Newton-by-the-Sea (6 miles south of North Sunderland), after that 

 33 years at Monk's House; has been 4| years here. Has been a fisherman all his 

 life, and has been in the habit of fishing for crabs and lobsters. When he was a 

 lad there were only four or five boats out of Newton, three or four out of Beadnell. 

 There are twenty times as many boats new. He began fishing at 13, and 

 stopped 13 years ago. When he began, crabs were of no'use ; there was no sale 

 for them. Never sold crabs for more than Is. a score — they would fetch a good 

 deal more now. Lobsters were the main thing when he began. There were 

 more lobsters when he began than when he left off fishing. When he was a 

 lad has got from 52 to 75 lobsters in a night. Used in those days to fish with 

 trunks (iron rings, 21 inches in diameter). There were 2 men and 24 trunks in 

 a boat. No trunks are used now. Nothing but creels are used. Can't tell 

 how many creels a boat carries. Many more than 24. Three times that num- 

 ber. The lobster season used to commence on the 1st December, and lasted 

 till the end of May. After then the fishermen knocked off, and went on to 

 line fishing and herring fishing. Can't say when they begin now. When he 

 was a lad his lobsters all went to London. Welled smacks came for them. 

 Lobsters were then 9d. a piece — this was a lobster 4\ inches in the barrel ; 

 under that they counted two for one. The biggest lobster he ever saw was 

 71 lbs . the smallest was about 2 oz. in weight. 



William Robson {examined by Mr. Buckland). Has been fishing for crabs and 

 lobsters off North Sunderland for 45 years ; 3 miles north, 1 mile south, 5 miles 

 out to sea is the extent of the ground. There are 15 boats fishing the ground. 

 Each boat, on an average, sets 70 creels. Rings have gone entirely out of 

 fashion. The crabs have fallen off greatly, and especially the last year. The 

 falling off began 10 years ago, it is both in size and number. The merchants 

 won't take very small crabs. They won't take them below 4 inches. 8 inches 

 he would call a large crab. Thinks the decrease in the crabs is due to the 

 excessive fishing. The fishermen begin fishing in January, and fish till June. 

 The crabs are full of spawn, outside the shell, in June. The light crabs come 

 in about this time of year (November). Sometimes they are hove away; but 

 sometimes they are so soft that they float, and cannot get to the bottom. 

 Thinks it is a great waste to destroy the soft crabs. The price of crabs has 

 increased to 4s. 6d. a score. This is since the railway started. Before the rail- 

 way opened there was no sale for them. Thinks crab fishing ought to com- 

 mence in December and end in May. There ought to be no fishing during the 

 rest of the year. It would also be advisable to put back the small crabs. None 

 should be taken under 3 inches across the back. The soft crabs should also be 

 returned to the water. Lobsters are not so large as they used to be, and there 

 are not so many as there used to be. In May and June he catches five berried 

 hens for one cock lobster. Gets no more money for a berried hen than another 

 lobster of the same size. Thinks the falling off of lobsters is due to taking the 

 berried hens. A few lobsters are in spawn all the year round ; but it is very 

 rare to get a berried hen in December. Has thrown away many berried hens 

 himself. Many fishermen, however, would not agree to a law to throw back 

 berried hens. Has seen lobsters as small as 2 inches in the barrel ; these are 

 inshore in June. Thinks that very small lobsters should not be taken, and that 



