44 



Trawling. 



CRABS. 

 Gauge. 



LOBSTERS. 



Gauge. 

 Trawling. 



Close time. 



Decrease. 

 CRABS. 



Breeding. 

 Soft. 



Trawling. 

 LOBSTERS. 



Berried. 



They have to go to Stockton-on-Tees to get mussels for bait. Would like to 

 stop in-shore trawling during the crab season, i.e., from April to July. Agrees 

 that all crabs under 4 inches, and all lobsters under 4 inches in the barrel 

 should be put back. The price of crabs is 3s. a score, and when he began was 

 only 2s. 6d. A 6^-inch crab here is a big crab. Believes that the ground is 

 over-fished. 



Harrison Cowper. Is previous witness's brother. Commenced crabbing 

 in 1837. There were twice as many crabs in the sea then as there are now. 

 Thinks they have been over-fished. The lobsters were also twice as numerous. 

 They have also been over-fished. Agrees with previous witness to throw 

 back all crabs under 4 inches, and all lobsters under 4 inches in the barrel. 

 This would increase the breed. Thinks the trawlers do a good deal of injury. 

 In-shore trawling should be prohibited, in his opinion. The trawlers could go 

 further over. There are no trawlers in the winter months. Complains that the 

 Scarborough men come and put their pots on the top of the Robin Hood's 

 Bay men's pots. 



There would be a difficulty in carrying out a gauge on account of the hurry 

 in packing for the train. Is in favour of a close season for crabs and lobsters 

 during August and September. 



Benjamin Grainger, shipowner and insurance agent. Has lived all his 

 life at Robin Hood's Bay. Knows of his own knowledge that the crabs and 

 lobsters were more plentiful than they are. The decrease is due to the trawlers 

 and to taking too small fish. Agrees with the sizes mentioned by the preceding 

 witnesses. No crab should be taken under 4 inches, and no lobster under 

 A\ inches in the barrel. A good few fishermen come down from Scarborough 

 to fish in Robin Hood's Bay. They cannot be stopped. The very small crabs 

 are always sweet. They are so small that they are of very little value. Believes 

 that the north cheek of Robin Hood's Bay is the best breeding place for 

 crabs on the north-east coast. The soft crabs are never sent away from here. 

 The fishermen never bring them ashore. Is in favour of prohibiting in-shore 

 trawling, which, in his opinion, does injury to all fish. It would increase the 

 number of lobsters to put back the berried hens. But cannot say whether 

 this should be done. Sometimes out of 100 brought ashore 10 will be 

 berried. 



Council Chamber, Town Hall, Scarborough, Saturday, 

 18th November 1876. 



CRABS. 



Decrease. 



Gauge. 



Berried. 

 Soft. 



Boiling. 



LOBSTERS. 



Decrease. 



Present : 

 Frank Buckland and Spencer Walpole, Esquires. 



James Harrison Sellers, fish merchant, Scarborough {examined by 

 Mr. Buckland). Has lived 56 years in Scarborough. Deais in crabs and lobsters, 

 and sends them to London, 'Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, &c. Crabs have 

 diminished since he commenced business, both in size and number. The 

 diminution began five or six years ago. Thinks that a 4-inch or 4^-inch crab 

 should be a size crab. A 6-inch crab here is a good crab. Thinks that no 

 crab under 4| inches should be taken. Berne d crabs are brought into 

 Scarborough at different times of the year. These also ought to be returned 

 to the water. Berried crabs fetch more money than the female crabs without 

 berries. Many soft crabs are taken in the trawl nets from October to March, 

 and in July and August. One out of four of these soft crabs are not saleable 

 and not eatable. Is in favour of returning them to the water. There is no 

 difficulty in distinguishing between a light crab and a full crab, even in the 

 water. The crabs are put into cold water and gradually boiled. They die long 

 before the water boils as they are drowned, not being able to live long in fresh 

 water. If they are put into hot water they cast their claws. 



Lobsters are falling off, both in size and number. The diminution began 

 five or six years ago. A lobster 4| inches in the barrel counts as a full 

 lobster. Below this they go two for one, and below 4 inches (or thereabouts) 



