38 



CRABS. 



Gauge. 



Soft. 

 Migration. 



LOBSTERS. 



Xo decrease. 

 Pollutions. 



Salmon fishing. 



Trawling. 



Gauae. 



CRABS. 



Gauge. 

 Casting shell. 



Berried. 



Breeding. 

 Enemies. 



lobsters in from 1 to 15 fathom water. Has always been in the habit of 

 returning nmall crabs. Is in favour of a 4-inch gauge. If the small crabs are 

 taken off the ground they cannot be on it. They would grow if they were put 

 back. Does not think that there is a breed of small crabs that does not grow. 

 There are not many crabs bigger than 8 or 9 inches. Catches many soft 

 crabs with very thin shells about this season of the year (November). Puts 

 them back into the sea. In February gets no soft crabs. The soft crabs 

 (he believes) bury themselves in sand in the winter. They go into very deep 

 water in the winter, especially in the cold weather. The crab and lobster 

 season depends very much on the weather. Crabs and lobsters will not crawl 

 in hard frosty weather. His shell fish all go to Mr. Brown, of Newcastle. The 

 price has increased. 



William Lisle {examined by Mr. Walpole). A fisherman at Cullercoats. 

 Has been so for 30 years. Has heard the evidence offered to-day. Agrees 

 that the crabs are falling off in size and numbers. There has been no 

 particular decrease in lobsters. Thinks that the hoppers carrying out the 

 results of the dredging boats on the Tyne bring out a great deal of stuff 

 which fills up the holes in which the crabs live. The hoppers are bound 

 to go three miles out — to 18 -fathom water. The crabs are caught from the 

 shore to 18-fathom water. Thinks that the clay, &c. from the hoppers both 

 settles when it is deposited and is also washed on to the ground. North and 

 south of the bar used to be the rockiest part. When the haddock lines were 

 shot, many were lost because of the rough rocks. Now none are lost, and 

 this shows that the bottom is all smooth. This rocky place was seaward of 

 the piers, and the current there is as strong as ever. In his judgment the 

 holes in which the crabs live have been filled up, and consequently fewer 

 crabs are bred. Lobsters, as a fact, live in holes quite as much as crabs, but 

 the lobsters have not decreased. Many of these hoppers come from the alkali 

 works, and he thinks it possible they may also poison the small fish on which 

 the crabs and lobsters feed. Does not believe that the ground can be over- 

 fished. Believes that it is useless to begin fishing before April, and that after 

 April you can only fish three months, and that it is then impossible to 

 clear the ground. Moreover the hang nets for salmon have interfered with the 

 tackle of the crabber, and so has limited the fishing. In consequence the 

 fishing for crabs and lobsters has decreased during the last few years. If the 

 decrease had resulted from over-fishing, the fish ought therefore to have 

 increased, and notwithstanding they have continued to decline. The salmon 

 fishing does not interfere with the autumn fishing ; but there is very little 

 autumn fishing, and that only for lobsters. The portion of ground which 

 has been silted up was both crab and lobster ground. The deep-sea 

 trawlers trawl up large numbers of crabs. Many of them in September and 

 October are casters, i.e. soft crabs. These are killed in large quantities, and 

 many are also brought ashore. These trawlers are about six miles out. They 

 go over a great extent of ground. Thinks it possible that they may be doing 

 some mischief. In the autumn, while fishing for lobsters, the fishermen get 

 any amount of soft crabs. They are tossed overboard, — in his opinion 

 they live. Is not in favour of a statutory close season. Is in favour of 

 returning to the sea all lobsters below 4 inches in the barrel, and all crabs 

 below 4 inches across the back. 



(By Mr. Buckland.) It is useless to set the pots before April; if they did, 

 would catch nothing but whelks. The crabs are in the best condition for 

 market in May. After June they go off in condition, they cast their shells in 

 about August, and in October they draw off into deeper water. This is the 

 time at which the trawlers catch them. It is the custom to put back all 

 berried crabs. The fishing, however, has not increased through the berried 

 hen crabs having been put back. Does not think that putting back the little 

 crabs would increase the size of the crabs. Thinks that the crabs procreate 

 when the females cast their shells. The male crab is always then guarding 

 the female. Has himself seen this. All fish, especially cod, eat crabs. 



George Simpson (examined by Mr. Buckland). Lives at Hawxley. Has fished 

 for 36 years. Has heard Mr. Armstrong's evidence, and agrees with it. Uses 30 

 pots per boat at this time, and 60 in the summer. Begins fishing for lobsters 

 in October and goes on till June. The pots are constantly down except in 

 stormy weather. Thinks the lobsters are just as thick as they were the first 



