52 



CRABS. 

 Berried. 



Migration, 



going to catch them in April and May. Never took a berried crab in his life* 

 Is in favour of a law compelling their return to the water. Very few people 

 take soft crabs, and it ought to be illegal to take them. 



Has caught very few lobsters. Thinks that seeded lobsters ought not to be 

 taken, and that no lobster under 4 inches in the barrel should be taken. 



In April and May the crabs are small; later on the larger crabs come in. 



Boats. 



Price, 



Soft. 

 Berried. 



Gauge. 



LOBSTERS. 



Decrease. 



Berried. 

 Trawlers. 



Weather. 



CRABS. 



No decrease. 

 Berried. 



Groicth. 

 Bait, 



Coastguard Station, Hall Sands, Tor Cross, Tuesday, 

 5th December 1876. 



Present : 



Frank Buckland and Spencer Walpole, Esquires. 



George Wells {examined by Mr. Walpole). A fisherman at Hall Sands for 

 30 years. Has been fishing all the time for crabs and lobsters. The ground is 

 off Hall Sands towards the Start, and off Prawle Point to the south of this place. 

 This is about 10 or 12 miles long by 3 broad. There are about 30 boats at 

 Hall Sands and Beeson Sands. The boats increase every year. There were 

 not half so many boats 30 years ago. There is no lack of fish, but some 

 seasons are better than others. The shell fish are sent to market, some by 

 land to Dartmouth, and some by smacks. The price has increased very much. 

 30 years ago it was 9s. a dozen, 12 crabs, 8 inches across the back, a dozen. 

 The price now is 18s. a dozen. Lobsters are the same price. They fish all 

 the year round if the weather permits. Was always in the habit himself of 

 fishing all the year round. Used crab pots 30 years ago, and does so now. The 

 boats carry from 30 to 40 pots. There are a large quantity of crabs caught 

 now, but there are more fishermen to divide the take among. The crabs are as 

 large as they used to be. The crabs at this time of the year are a little pithy. 

 May catch soft crabs all the year round. The soft crabs are all hove away. Sees 

 a few berried crabs. Those that are berried are in December. The berried 

 crabs are mostly thrown overboard. Catches very few crabs below 5 inches. 

 Is in favour of a law prohibiting sale of all crabs under 6 inches. Is in 

 favour of a law for return of all soft crabs, and of all berried crabs. The 

 crabs are berried in December here, and the soft crabs are in the spring of the 

 year. 



This is not much of a lobster country, and the lobsters are not quite so 

 plentiful as they were. Some seasons a good many are caught. The smallest 

 lobsters taken here are 9 or 10 inches in length. A gauge would be no good 

 here, because no small lobsters are caught. Takes some berried hens here in the 

 spring and fall of the year. The fishermen can't spare the berried lobsters as 

 most people are after them. It would not do to have a law of the return of 

 berried lobsters. 



The Brixham trawlers come here and scrape away the pots and sweep every- 

 thing before them. Thinks they do a great injury. Some of the crab gound 

 is on the Sand where the trawlers come. Is in favour of prohibiting trawlers 

 coming within the headlands. Would keep them out of the bay altogether. 

 Has himself lost scores of pots from the trawlers. Lost some this year. Lost 

 four or five last year. Has seen trawlers shoot their nets right among the 

 pots, so they couldn't help cutting them away. 



William Hutchins, of Beeson Sands (examined by Mr. Buckland). Has 

 been fishing 30 years. There are 16 boats at Beeson Sands, and about 16 here. 

 They fish all the year round, but the weather stops them a good deal in the 

 winter. The ground is about six miles long and three miles broad. The 

 ground is all sandy. 



Does not think that the crabs have fallen off. Always returns the berried 

 crabs. This has always been the custom. The largest crabs are 11 or 12 

 inches across the back, and weighs 1 1 or 12 lbs. The crabs are better quality 

 here than at the Land's End. The smallest crabs here are 6 inches, and none 

 less than that ought to be taken. Thinks that a crab grows very quickly after 

 it has cast its shell. Sees small crabs about an inch long, in the spring of the 

 year. The pots are baited with ray and gurnard. The price has not increased 



