The merchants there will take any sized crab, but they do not give a great CRABS, 

 deal for them. Before the railway crabs were Ad. a dozen, little and big. p . 

 The price rose gradually after the railway was made and is now considerably 

 higher. Crabs feed on animal food. The pots are baited with every kind of Food of. 

 flesh, cod's heads, &c. Never heard of crabs being used as bait for crabs. 

 The pots are made of wicker and net. 20 years ago the fishermen complained 

 that if some law was not made to prevent continuous fishing, the fish would 

 go out of existence. The great crab fishing in this district is from Troup 

 Head to Fraserburgh. Has never seen the crabbers above 2 miles out to sea. 



In 181f) lobsters were sent to London in the wells of smacks which were sent LOBSTERS, 

 for the purpose. One would come every week. The smacks for the last 

 30 years have ceased coming. The steamers first, and then the railway, cut out Railways. 

 the smacks. Thinks that, as the steamers commenced running, the lobsters 

 disappeared. Thinks that the falling off in lobsters is due to want of pro- Decrease. 

 tection and of a close season. June, July, and August would be the proper Close time. 

 close season for lobsters. The berried hens can be found at almost any 

 period of the year, but the chief time is June and July; they come in spawn Spawning. 

 in May, but don't spawn till June. 



(By Mr. Young.) Recollects 30 years ago that the Act 9 Geo. II. c. 33, sec. 4, Enforcement of 

 providing a close season, was strictly enforced. Has heard men say that it ' 

 was close season and you could get no lobsters. The Act has fallen into 

 desuetude for want of persons to enforce it. The officers of the White Herring 

 Fishery Board would be competent to enforce the Act, and would have plenty of 

 time to do so. (Mr. Young read the following passage from se White's History Decrease, 

 of British Crustacea." " The older fishermen on the Moray Firth assured Mr. 

 " Bell that the lobsters on the Elginshire rocky coast had so diminished in 

 " number 50 years ago, owing to the vast numbers taken by parties who then 

 " supplied the London market, and they have ever since been comparatively 

 " rare.") Considers from his experience that the statement made by these 

 fishermen to Mr. Bell was perfectly correct. 



(By Mr. Buckland.) The close season suited the smacks because they Smacks. 

 could not carry crabs in- hot weather, six days passage to London. The 

 rapidity of steam made it possible to carry them. Does not think it 

 worth while to return berried hens to the water out of close season. A 

 berried hen is more valuable than any other lobster on account of her eggs. 

 A berried hen worth 55. would without the berries be worth only 4s. It Berried. 

 would be impossible to carry out a law directing them to be put back. 

 Has no idea of the rate of growth of a lobster. They measure the lobsters by 

 the barrel. A lobster 4§ inches in the barrels counts as a whole lobster, Below 

 that size they count two for one. Lobsters have increased very much in price. Price. 

 30 years ago lobsters were 4s. 6d. a score; they are now 30s. a score in the 

 spring, 25s. in the autumn, but the price varies. In London they are now 

 10c?. each. The market is glutted. It is not necessary to have a gauge. Has Gauge. 

 seen a lobster of 6 or 7 lbs.' weight. The largest lobsters do not average above 

 6| inches in the barrel. Thinks that the lobster is local. There was a spot 

 off John's Haven about a mile off, which there was no difficulty in fishing out. 

 The ground was about 3 miles in circumference, generally a coal bottom. 

 Lobsters on shore will live best in common coal. 



(By Mr. Young.) The people employed in crab and lobster fishing are 

 generally old men and boys. Has known no grounds fished out, but so few 

 lobsters are got that they may be said to be almost fished out. 



(By Mr. Walpole.) The boats engaged at Auchmithie were chiefly employed 

 in cod and ling fishing. Does not know how many were employed in crab 

 fishing. In old days, when smacks took the take, could not get lobsters 

 because they were taken by the contractors. Now they all go by rail. Does Railivays. 

 not know whether it would be possible to ascertain what number go by rail. 

 There are 75 per cent, fewer go by rail now than used to go by the old Decrease. 

 smacks. 



Alexander Greg, manager for Joseph Johnson and Sons, Arbroath 

 (examined by Mr. Walpole). Has been manager for seven years at Arbroath. 

 Before that was 16 years with Mr. Sutherland, a fish dealer at Montrose. Has 

 had 23 years experience in crab and lobster trade. There has always been a 

 railway since he was in business. Brings crabs and lobsters from Arbroath, 

 and occasionally in July and August from Auchmithie. There were last year 



