36 



CRABS. 



Spawning. 



Berried. 



Sc>ft. 

 LOBSTERS. 



Spawning. 



Close time. 



CRABS. 



Value as food. 



Close time. 

 LOBSTERS. 



Gauge. 



Boats. 

 Decrease. 



Close time. 

 Soft. 



Gauge. 



CRABS. 



Decrease. 

 Price. 



Soft. 



{By Mr. Buchland.) Crabs with spawn are never brought ashore. They are 

 mostly caught with spawn in June. A 5-inch crab will carry spawn. Ever 

 since he can remember, all spawning crabs have been returned to the sea. 

 The male crabs are found in the roughest rocks. The bottom of the sea off 

 Cullercoats is sand and rock alternately, and there is plenty of long tangle 

 weed. The fishermen would not object to a law compelling them to return 

 berried crabs. By a soft crab means a crab that has cast its hard shell, and has 

 got a very tender shell. These are mostly caught in October, but they are 

 never sold. Has never tried to eat a soft crab, there is nothing in them. 

 Catches some big and some little crabs. Berried lobsters are mostly caught in 

 June. Has had many less than 4| inches in the barrel. Finds berried hens all the 

 year round. Gets no more money for them than for other lobsters. Cannot say 

 whether it would be advisable to put back berried hens to the sea, but would 

 recommend a close season for lobsters in July, August, and September. Never 

 saw a lobster shed its shell; but one did change its shell on his own premises. 

 The crab pots in April are put into 16-fathom water, and gradually are brought 

 in nearer the shore, till in June they are close to the rock side. 



J. Cameron Reid, M.D. {examined by Mr. Buchland). In practice at New- 

 biggin. Went there 24 years ago ; there were then only two or three boats going 

 out for crabs and lobsters. Frequently saw small lobsters taken from pots, 

 and pointed out to the men the unwisdom of this course. The men replied 

 that others did it, and that it would be a better thing if there was a law to 

 stop it. Thought that the men who bought these small fish were worse than 

 those who took them, as encouraging this wasteful practice. With regard to 

 crabs, the small crabs are in better condition than the large crabs, and are often 

 heavier than the larger ones. The population of Newbiggin in 1871 was 1,135, 

 and there are from 100 to 200 fishermen. The crab and lobster fishermen are 

 usually old men. There are from 8 to 11 boats there. As a medical man he 

 considers that crabs and lobsters are nutritious, and ought therefore to be 

 increased ; they contain a great deal of phosphorus, and are good for the brain. 

 The Newbiggin people would be glad of a law. In his opinion July, August, 

 and September ought to be closed both for crabs and lobsters. Every crab 

 above 4 inches should be marketable, and 4 inches in the barrel should be the 

 gauge for lobsters. 



Robert Dent {examined by Mr. Walpole). A fisherman of Newbiggin. Has 

 been a fisherman 48 years. Forty-eight years ago there were only three or four 

 boats at Newbiggin fishing for crabs and lobsters ; there are eight now. The 

 boats have more than double the amount of tackle they used to. Thinks that 

 the crabs and lobsters are diminishing. They began to diminish 12 or 14 years 

 ago. Forty-eight years ago a boat might have taken 10 or 12 lobsters a day. 

 They can get as many now, but they must use double the amount of tackle to 

 do so. Thinks the decrease is due to over-fishing. At Newbiggin the crabs and 

 lobsters are fished all the year round. Does not think this is a good plan. This 

 has gone on for six or eight years. The season used to commence in September 

 and end in May, Is in favour of a close season for crabs and lobsters. It 

 should be in June, July, and August. This should apply both to crabs and 

 lobsters. Thinks there is no harm in the autumn fishing. The soft crabs are 

 returned to the sea uninjured. Is also in favour of a gauge, 4 inches for 

 crabs, and a 4-inch barrel-gauge for lobsters. Below this they go four for one, 

 and are not worth taking. 



Colin Downie {examined by Mr. Buchland). A fish-dealer at Newbiggin. 

 Has been in business 16 years. Buys crabs arid lobsters from the fishermen. 

 There are about four dealers at Newbiggin. There are eight boats at this time, 

 and 12 in the summer season. The crabs have fallen off a little in his time ; 

 not a great deal. The falling off has been in number ; there has not been 

 much difference in size. The 4-inch crabs at Newbiggin go two for one. The 

 merchants sometimes complain, especially in Manchester, that the size of crabs 

 is small. In Manchester, as a rule, crabs fetch 16s. to 18s. a barrel, which 

 contains three score. The little crabs come chiefly in May. Some of the small 

 4-inch crabs are very heavy crabs, and are good food. Thinks a 4-inch gauge 

 for crabs would do. Knows what a soft crab, or, as it is here called, a caster, 

 is, but his men do not take them. They do not bring them ashore. They 

 get fewer lobsters than they did, but believes that as many lobsters are caught 

 as ever. Owing, however, to the increased number of boats, each boat does 



