55 



put in the store pots. They are not plugged now. Is in favour of retaining 

 berried lobsters. Purchasers like them. 



Ambrose Ash. Has heard the above evidence and agrees with it. 



N.B. — There were a considerable number of fisherman in the room who also 

 expressed their concurrence in the foregoing evidence. 



The Guildhall, Plymouth, Monday, 6th December 1876. 



Present : 

 Frank Buckland and Spencer Walpole, Esquires. 



John Roach (examined by Mr. Walpole). Has been a fisherman at Plymouth CRABS, 

 for 40 years. Has been fishing for crabs and lobsters. His ground in the 

 summer is 3 miles beyond the breakwater. The ground is spotty. Rocks, 

 sand, mud, and stones. The ground is extensive. There are 28 boats come 

 there. They come from the Yealm, and are mostly in the crab way. They 

 generally begin fishing in March, and go on till the pilchard season commences Pilchardfishinrj. 

 in August, when they are obliged to take up their pots to get them out of the 

 way of the nets. There is very little fishing during the remainder of the year. 

 It is too stormy to keep, the baskets out. 



There are not so many crabs and lobsters on the ground as there were 40 years Decrease. 

 ago. Twenty-six years ago, there were in his father's time only eight boats on 

 the ground between the Plym and the Bolt Tail. Now there are nearly 

 100 boats on this ground. The boats could then catch 70 or 80 tale crabs a 

 day. The boats now- could only catch 7 or 8 or 10. There are more crabs 

 caught now than there were then. But the boats go over three times the ground 

 and three times as far out. Has no doubt that the crabs are diminishing in 

 numbers. After June can catch no large male crabs, only she and small ones. Berried. 

 Thinks this decrease is due to over-fishing. They never catch berried crabs 

 They always throw away small crabs under (say) 5 inches. Does not see what 

 regulations are applicable to this. Complains of the barges coming from the 

 oil of vitriol stores tipping their refuse outside the breakwater. Has picked up Pollution. 

 scores of crabs burned by this refuse. Thinks the decrease in the crabs here- 

 abouts is due to the refuse from these barges. This has been going on two or 

 three years or more. Used to catch a good many crabs here. Since the prac- 

 tice began has caught nothing. There are tons and tons of stuff thrown away 

 in fine weather ; it is done mostly in summer when he is fishing. The refuse 

 is white, like mud. It is refuse lime. 



Lobsters are not decreasing so much as the crabs. Thinks they are quicker LOB STE RS, 

 in the water and get away from the stuff. The lobsters, however, are not so 

 plentiful, as there are more fishermen after them. 



There could be no harm in a law making it illegal to kill all crabs under CRABS. 

 5 inches. It ought to be adopted. Gauqe. 



Nor would there be any harm in a law to make it illegal to kill a berried Berried. 

 crab, or in a law to make it illegal to kill soft crabs. 



There are more soft she crabs in June and July than at any other time of s °ft' 

 the year. The he crabs then have always a she crab with them. Never caught 

 but four berried crabs ; this was in the spring of the year. The soft crabs are 

 generally in shallow water in sandy soil. 



There would be no harm in a law to throw away all lobsters under 8 inches. LOBSTERS. 



Catches many berried lobsters. Catches them all the year round. They cast Gauge. 

 their berries in May and June, and are berried again in September. They ought 

 to be thrown away in May and June, but not during the rest of the year. Close time. 

 There are no berried lobsters under 1^ lbs. or 2 lbs. Once caught a berried 

 crab of 4 inches ; but they are generally much larger. 



John Roach, junr. (examined by Mr. Buckland). Has been a fisherman for 

 crabs and lobsters for 10 years. Fishes with pots. Rings were never used ■ Pois ' 

 here. The entrance to the pots is 10 inches across the mouth. There is about 

 3 inches between the ribs of the pots. Fishes about the harbour inside and out- 

 side the breakwater. The crabs don't shift their ground much. They don't co me 

 to eat the refuse in the harbour. Does not know what they eat. Uses gurnet, 



