53 



of late years. He sells his crabs to Mr. Scovell. Is in favour of returning all CRABS, 

 crabs under 6 inches. The Beeson Sands men are all in favour of this. Gaune 



Would like to see some law prohibiting inshore trawling. They carry away Trawlers. 

 the pots, and, in the fall of the year, they destroy a great many she crabs. Most 

 of the soft crabs are in March, April, and May. The soft crabs here are called 

 ripe crabs, and are caught all the year round. A male is always on the top of ^ r ^ e(iin (/- 

 a ripe crab whenever she is caught. 



Thinks the trawlers should be prohibited from coming within the Beeson 

 Sands, or within 3 miles of the shore. The trawlers take away sometimes 30 or 

 40 pots a night. 



The biggest lobsters here are 5 or 6 lbs. All lobsters over 1 1 inches are LOBSTERS, 

 measured lobsters. Below this all go two for one. The smallest lobsters here 

 run from 9 to 10 inches. The ribs of the pots are 2 inches apart. Is not in 

 favour of returning berried lobsters. Is not in favour of any close season. 



John Roper (examined by Mr. Walpole). The fishermen here are obliged Dogs. 

 to keep dogs, because, when the wind is eastward, the dogs have to go from 

 the shore to the boat with a line in their mouth to enable the boat to be hauled 

 in through the surf, which is very heavy. There are three or four Newfoundland 

 dogs kept in each village for this purpose. The dogs have to be trained for 

 them. Thinks it a hardship that these dogs should be taxed, as they are 

 really kept to save life. There are eight dogs altogether to attend to 30 boats. 



N.B. — A large number of fishermen were present; all were unanimously of CRABS, 

 opinion that a law should Be made compelling the return of : — 



1. All crabs under 6 inches. 



2. All berried crabs. 



3. All soft crabs* 



The Union Inn, Prawie, Tuesday, 5th December 1876. 



Present : 

 Frank Buckland and Spencer Walpole, Esquires. 



Robert Phillips (examined by Mr. Buckland). Has been a fisherman for 

 eight years. The ground extends about half a mile east of Prawie Point, and 

 half a mile west of Prawie Point. Fishes for crabs and lobsters all the year 

 round. There are five boats here, each boat carrying about 50 pots. The 

 bottom is rocky and sandy. They fish in water from 20 fathoms deep. The 

 crabs are scarcer than they used to be. Thinks the scarcity is due to catching Decrease. 

 the she crabs in the fall of the year. The she crabs are spawning from Spawning. 

 September to Christmas. Catches more he crabs than she crabs in the fall of 

 the year. The she crabs are caught in the summer. Has seen crabs 8 inches 

 across the shell. Below this they go two for one. There are more crabs above 

 than below 8 inches. Thinks no crab ought to be taken below 6 inches. Gauge. 

 Would be in favour of a law to this effect. Would be in favour of returning 

 all she crabs during the last three months of the year. But this would not do 

 in the summer. Catches light crabs in the summer, but they are hove over- 

 board. The he crabs are hove overboard. The females are used as bait. A Used for bait. 

 great many crabs are used as bait for bream. 



The lobsters are not so thick as they were. Thinks the decrease is due to LOBSTERS. 



killing all the berried hens, and is in favour of returning all the berried hens _ , 



in January, February, and March. Is in favour of returning all the smallest Berried.' 

 lobsters. 



Richard Putt (examined by Mr. Walpole). Has been a fisherman nearly 

 50 years. When he began there were three boats, they increased afterwards to 

 six. There are now five boats ; there have been as many as seven. Always fished 

 with pots, as he does now. When he began used to begin in February or 

 March, and knock off in September. There is seldom any fishing beyond 

 September now. Cannot catch half so many crabs in the same quantity of 



