48 



Hewing fishery 



CRABS. 

 Decreased size. 



Gauge. 

 LOBSTERS. 



Decrease. 



CRABS. 



Soft. 



LOBSTERS. 



Berried. 

 CRABS. 



Season for, 



Berried. 



Gauge. 



Soft. 

 Pots. 



LOBSTERS. 

 Gauge. 



CRABS. 



Weather. 



Gauge. 



continues till the middle of July, when the herring season commences. There is 

 very little fishing in the back end of the year. Forty years ago the boats used 

 to carry 24 trunks, in a boat; they use pots now — about 30 to 36 in a boat. 

 The boats are small undecked boats. About 30 years ago the crabs fell off very 

 much ; they could scarcely get any, and the fishermen were compelled to go to 

 Filey for them. Since then they increased, and they have increased a good 

 deal of late years. There are as many crabs now as when he was a lad, but 

 they are smaller. When he was a lad, the crabs were sold by a gauge. The 

 crabs above 4 inches were sold by the score. Smaller crabs were sold by the 

 lump. The small crabs are more nnmerous than they were. The biggest 

 crabs are off Flamborough Head; there is more length of rock there. The 

 crabs at Bridlington and Speeton are falling off. Of the two, the crabs at 

 Speeton are larger than those at Bridlington. The east winds destroy a great 

 many crabs in Bridlington Bay. Fish also destroy a great many ; but taking the 

 small ones, no doubt, increases the loss. All the fishermen admit that it is 

 no use bringing the small crabs ashore. Is of opinion that it would be a good 

 thing to return all crabs under 4 inches. 



Lobsters have been very scarce for many years. Some of the lobsters are 

 large. They are larger than the Scarborough lobsters. Thinks a lobster- 

 gauge would be a good thing. The smallest lobsters are no use. Doesn't 

 want to say what the gauge should be. 



No soft crabs or lobsters are caught here. It would not hurt the fishermen 

 here if no soft crabs were brought ashore. Berried crabs are not brought 

 ashore here; but the smacks bring many ashore. Is in favour of stopping 

 this. Berried lobsters are brought ashore. They, however, are the finest 

 lobsters. Does not think this can be stopped. Berried lobsters come ashore 

 at all times of the year. 



William Stevenson {examined by Mr. BucHand). Lives at Flamborough. 

 Has fished for crabs aud lobsters for 20 years. Fishes where the preceding 

 witness fishes. There are about 70 boats here, carrying 30 pots or thereabouts. 

 The fishing ground embraces about 10 miles of coast. The bottom of the sea 

 is rocky. The rocky ground is the best place for the crabs and lobsters. 

 Can't say what the crabs feed on, Commences fishing about the beginning of 

 April, and continues till about the middle of July. The crab-pots are down 

 from one end of the season to the other, but are shifted occasionally from time 

 to time. Thinks it would be possible to over-fish the ground, but doesn't 

 think the fishery at present is in any danger. The fishermen return all the 

 berried crabs, and think this is beneficial to the fishery. Has thrown four or 

 five berried crabs back in a night. The berried crabs would be 5 inches and 

 upwards. The largest are 7 inches. The berried crabs are mostly big crabs. 

 Has no idea of the age of crabs. Thinks the crabs come in to spawn from the 

 deep water. Is in favour of returning all crabs under 4 inches. Adheres to 

 the opinion that everything ought to be kept above 4 inches. Soft crabs are 

 always returned to the water ; would not object to a law compelling the return 

 of soft crabs. Is in favour of this law applying also to the trawlers. The pipes 

 in the pots, which the crabs enter, are 4J to 5 inches wide. Soft crabs are 

 caught here, but he does not catch them himself. 



There are a few lobsters here. A full-sized lobster here is 4 5 to 5 inches ; 

 3 to 4 inches is the average size. Is in favour of returning the small 

 lobsters to the water. No gauge has been used at Flamborough for lobsters 

 for 20 years. No lobster should be taken under 4 inches in the barrel. The 

 berried hens are reckoned more valuable than any other. The buyers would 

 give 6d. more for a berried hen than for any other lobster. The crabs crawl 

 best in a nice ground swell after a storm. They call this a "crab swell." Does 

 not require a close season. 



William Crowe (examined by Mr. WalpoJe). A farmer at Flamborough. 

 Sent half a dozen small crabs to the House of Commons when he saw the 

 Norfolk Bill in the House. The buyers asked him to come and say that no 

 crab ought to be sold under 4| inches. They buy crabs of any size in the 

 town ; they buy the fish in the season, and send them to all parts. There 

 are about 10 or 12 of them at Flamborough, and they are unanimous in wish- 

 ing no crab to be taken under 4\ inches. 



Samuel Chadwick (examined by Mr. BucHand). A fishbuyer at Flam- 

 borough. Has been so for eight years. Buys crabs and lobsters. The crabs 



