56 



CRABS. 

 'Bait for. 



Species of. 



Colour. 



Berried. 



Soft. 



Pollution. 

 Boats. 



LOBSTERS. 

 No decrease. 



Spawning. 

 Pollutions. 



Berried. 



CRABS. 



No decrease. 



Spawning. 



Young. 



Migration. 



Breeding. 



rays, and wrasse for bait. Anything white attracts the crabs. Usually begins 

 fishing in February, and goes on till November. Under 8| inches the crabs go 

 two for one. Above 8^ inches the crabs are tale crabs. Catches sometimes 

 very small crabs, but returns all under 5 inches. Does not think that the 

 crabs leave their beds in the autumn time. Most of the she crabs (locally 

 known as ' ' pouch crabs ") are caught in June. Believes there are two distinct 

 species of edible crabs ; one which is large, the other which is small. Has been 

 to a place near the breakwater every year, and caught small crabs and no large 

 ones ; therefore concludes that the small crabs are a distinct species. The 

 colour of the crabs varies with the ground. Thinks this place, where the small 

 crabs are caught, is a nursery for them. The largest crab he ever saw was about 

 10 lbs. Has seen oysters attached to crabs. Cannot tell their age. Has seen 

 crabs about 1 inch across. This was in August. Thinks all berried crabs 

 should be put back. Knows what a soft crab is. Thinks they ought to be put 

 back into the water. Knows a light crab. Catches them at the same time as 

 the soft ones, in July and August. Inside the breakwater, where the soil is 

 muddy, the crabs remain soft all the year round. Complains of the refuse from 

 the vitriol works, which burns up and destroys the crabs. Does not see this 

 pollution washed on to the shore. It remains like cement when it is once 

 down. 



There are three boats at Plymouth now where there used to be one. 

 Twenty-five and thirty pots a boat. The pots are set about 40 fathoms apart. 

 Does not think that the lobsters have fallen ofp, as there used to be only 30 

 baskets fishing, and there are now 80. Does not think that the lobsters are 

 being over-fished. The one boat caught 25 lobsters; the three catch about 36 

 lobsters a day. The smallest lobster he has seen here is about 5 inches, the 

 largest lobster about 6 or 7 lbs. Thinks that an 8-inch lobster might be kept ; 

 but that all under 74 inches might be put back. Thinks the lobsters live by 

 suction. Catches berried hens all the year round, mostly in June and July. 

 He fishes inside the breakwater. His father — the previous witness — fishes out- 

 side the breakwater. The pollution does not come inside the harbour; but the 

 fishermen complain that the pollution injures the pollards and other fish. 

 Does not know whether it affects the salmon. Berried hens do not fetch more 

 than any other [lobster, but the fish merchants are very anxious to have them 

 for sauce. Thinks that all berried hens under 1^ lbs. should be returned to 

 the sea. Cannot say what length a berried hen of this size would be. It 

 would be impossible to throw back all the berried hens as 9 out of 10 

 lobsters are berried. The crabs are scarcer in the 28 fathoms water, which is 

 only fished for six weeks in the year, than in any other part of the fishery. 

 The bottom in the deep water is also rocky. No close season here is necessary. 

 They can only fish in April, May, June, July, and August. 



C. Spence Bate, F.R.S. Has been appointed by British Association to 

 make inquiries into the Crustacea. Finds from inquiries that though crabs are 

 not increasing to meet the demand of an increased population, there is no general 

 decrease in the sea, The female crabs are of little value, and are always given 

 by the trawlers to boys, and sold in this neighbourhood by only four women 

 who purchase them of the boys. There are five trawlers on this part who 

 bring in four or five dozen she crabs daily; sometimes as many as 10 dozen 

 are brought in. On the 11th November from 50 to 60 dozen crabs (nearly all 

 females) were brought in, but on that day many Brixham boats were driven 

 in by stress of weather. These were all taken inside the Eddy stone in 30 

 fathoms water. The she crabs at this time have their ovaries well developed, 

 and the internal shell is beginning to form. The berries will be exposed in 

 January, and carried till May. Soon after that the berries are hatched out. 

 The shell of the egg always remains attached to the mother's apron till her 

 shell is cast. In May the water is tinged with the young zoea of the crab. 

 Thinks the she crabs gradually work in towards shore about this time of the 

 year. In May they hatch out, and afterwards they cast their shell. When 

 they are free from their shell, impregnation takes place. The shell cannot be 

 cast, except on hard ground, where they can catch hold of something. Has 

 himself seen a crab cast its shell, and the same crab almost immediately after- 

 wards in the act of copulation. This he saw with the shore crab. Thinks 

 there is only one species of edible crab. Thinks that the small size of the 

 crabs on the east coast is due to the temperature ; and that Cornwall, where 



