Boats. 



LOBSTERS. 

 Price. 



Increase. 

 Boats. 



CRABS. 



No decrease. 



Weather. 



Price. 



Close time. 



Gauge. 

 LOBSTERS. 



Gatige. 



Spawning. 



CRABS. 



Gatige. 



Close time. 

 Spawning. 



No decrease. 



about 26 boats engaged at Arbroath in crab and lobster trade, chiefly in the 

 spring ; seven years ago there were about 20 engaged. The boats have increased 

 during the last seven years. Seven years ago crabs were Is. a dozen, small 

 crabs below 5 inches counting two for one. The price now is Is. 6c?. a dozen. 

 Lobsters were Is. each seven years ago, the price now is Is. 6d. The price of 

 crabs and lobsters has increased during the last seven years by 50 per cent. 

 The fishermen are doing a good business. Thinks that the crabs and lobsters 

 are j ust as plentiful as they were seven years ago, lobsters if anything more 

 plentiful ; is talking of an average of years. Though the number of boats has 

 increased from 20 to 26, the take per boat is as large now as it was seven years 

 ago. At Auchmithie there are now nine boats. The fishermen are leaving 

 Auchmithie and coming to Arbroath. There is a better market at Arbroath. 

 They are not leaving the Auchmithie ground because the crabs are fewer, but 

 because there is a better market at Arbroath. The quality of crabs at Arbroath 

 is better than at Auchmithie. The number of crabs at Auchmithie has not 

 decreased in his time. They are taken close in shore and a mile out to sea. 

 There are some crabs taken at East and West Haven. There are five boats 

 between the two places. They fish the same ground as the Arbroath men, and 

 there is no falling off either in quantity or size. The catch last year was at all 

 these places as good as any he ever remembered. Last year was a very hot 

 summer. Hot summers are always better than cold summers. Crab fishing 

 depends on the weather. They take when water is muddy after breeze of wind. 

 They see the traps in fine weather and won't take them. So far as he knows 

 there is no falling off either in crabs or lobsters. Can catch the lobsters in very 

 fine weather, they are not scared like the crabs by seeing the traps. 



Crabs and lobsters are chiefly sent to the London market. Heard that 

 lobsters last week were selling at 10c?. apiece in London; kept his lobsters 

 back in consequence. Has since sent them. The price of lobsters proves that 

 a large supply of lobsters was in the market from Norway or elsewhere. 



Satisfied with the present condition of things. Lobsters and crabs are not 

 much fished after the middle of July as the boats are on the herrings. The 

 herring fishery makes a close season of its own for" the lobsters, and it is not 

 necessary to have a close season after that time. It is impossible to take many 

 lobsters and crabs from the middle of July till September. After that a good 

 many may be taken. The season finishes in November, the weather becoming 

 too rough. Thinks it would be desirable to return all crabs under 4f inches. 

 Thinks it would be nonsense to return all crabs under 6 inches. Would 

 return all lobsters under 4 inches in the barrel. The fishermen now return 

 all small lobsters. It would be necessary to prohibit taking, buying, and selling. 



(By Mr. Buckland.) There is a natural close season in consequence of the 

 fishermen going after the herrings, and there has been no diminution of lob- 

 sters. You can always get a lobster in spawn. Can't say when they spawn, 

 nor whether the maintenance of stock is due to the natural close season. 



(By Mr. Young.) Has heard of the 9 Geo. II. instituting a close season, 

 but never heard that it was observed. It is never attended to. The Act, he 

 is certain, has never been observed for 20 years. 



(By Mr. Buckland.) The 1.30 p.m. train reaches London 4 a.m. the follow- 

 ing day. Many of the shell fish are sent to London by this train. 



George Wood, fisherman, Johns Haven (examined by Mr. Young). 

 Has been engaged in crab and lobster fishing since 1827. The fishing 

 depends on the state of the weather. Since 1827 sees very little difference 

 in the yield, if the same exertions are used. A great deal depends on the 

 state of the weather. If the sea is troubled the crabs take better. Thinks that 

 all crabs under 3 inches should be returned to the sea. There would be no 

 harm in keeping a 4§ inch crab. It is no benefit to anyone to keep them under 

 3 inches. Very few are caught below this size. The small ones under this 

 size escape through the bars of the pot. Very few lobsters are caught under 

 4^ inches in the barrel. They escape through the creel. The close season 

 should commence on the 1st October and end on the 1st March. It is then too 

 stormy to fish. The crabs spawn at the end of October, but has seen lobsters 

 in spawn every day of the year. Does not know when lobsters spawn. Is 

 acquainted with the fisheries from Aberdeen to Johns Haven. There has been 

 no falling off in these fisheries. Some years are more productive than others, 

 but this depends on the weather. 



