(By Mr. Buckland.) Baits pots with haddocks, young cod, and other fish. CRABS. 

 Has broken up crabs for bait when bait was scarce. Crabs are cannibals. If Bait r~~ 

 it were made illegal to take small crabs wouldn't break them up for bait. t-OBSTRRS 

 Lobsters like a little motion in the water, not much. Not one lobster in 12 '1 — ' 



or half a score is below 4;V inches in the barrel. Never saw a lobster smaller Gcmge. 

 than that on table (6 inches). The bottom on which he fishes is sandy and rocky. 

 Below 4i inches the crabs count two for one, but sees no harm in catching 

 them if above 3 inches. Thinks it is impossible to harry (i.e. fish out) the sea. 



James Walker, fisherman at Gourdon (examined by Mr. Buckland). CRABS. 



Has been fishing for crabs and lobsters for 36 years. Commences off his own 



shore and goes northward to Stonehaven. Fishes from the shore to a mile and 



a half off. As the season advances comes inshore. Commences fishing on the 



1st March and ends at the end of September. About 40 pots go to each boat. 



There is about 40 yards between each pot. The pots are down night and day. 



Has seen plenty of crabs, but they are getting scarce. The crabs are getting very Decrease. 



scarce. They are less than one half of what they were 36 years ago. During 



the last 20 years they have been falling off gradually. 36 years ago there were 



three boats out of Gourdon, now there are 20. Each boat has three times as Boats. 



much material as they used to have. It is no use to have a close season, but 



the small crabs should be returned to the sea. All under 3| or 4 inches Gauge. 



should be returned to the sea. Now everything is taken and sent to London, 



where there is a market for everything in the shape of a crab. Does not want 



a close season ; at the time when crabs spawn there are no crabs taken. The Berried. 



crabs carry their berries for six months. Sends no ran crabs (crabs with 



spawn) to London. They ought to be put back into the water. This would 



increase the fishery. 



There are no lobsters to be got at all. They are worse than the crabs. His LOBSTERS, 

 ground is not lobster ground, but there were plenty there 36 years ago. j)ecrea~> 

 Doesn't know the cause of falling off. 



Thinks all the berried hens should be thrown back to restore the fishery. Berried. 

 There should be no lobster taken under 4\ inches in the barrel. In olden 

 times the smacks wouldn't take anything under that size. They tie the lob- Gauge. 

 sters when they send them away and do not plug them. The crabs are all 

 sent away alive. 



(By Mr. Walpole.) There are now 20 boats for three when he began fishing, Boats. 

 and each boat carries three times as many pots. There are really therefore now 

 20 times as many pots as there were 36 years ago. When he fished first the 

 price of crabs was 4\d. a dozen, and 6d. and 9d. for lobsters each. The price Price. 

 now is Is. 6d. to 25. a dozen for crabs, and Is. for lobsters each. Some of the 

 fishermen are better, some worse off, than they were 36 years ago. The fisher- 

 men are not wholly dependent on the crabs and lobsters. The additional 

 number of creels catch as many fish as used to be caught 36 years ago. 

 The whole take of the 20 boats is as large or larger than the take of the three 

 36 years ago, but each boat gets a smaller share. If 20 people were trying to 

 catch an animal which one used to try and catch, the 20 could not expect to get 

 so many, but the 20 boats have fished out the store, and the store is getting 

 shorter every year. The crabs keep to their ground, and in certain places are CRABS. 

 being fished out. 



James Moir (examined by Mr. Young). Lives at Gourdon. Has been 

 fishing for 20 years. Is acquainted with the coast for about five miles, 

 between Tod Head and Gourdon. The fish have fallen off a good deal in 

 number but not in size. There are too many fishermen catching them. It 

 would be a good thing to return all crabs to the sea under 4 inches. Thinks Gauge. 

 there is no use in a close season for crabs. June, July, and August is the very Close time. 

 time to catch them. Would return all lobsters under 4k inches in the barrel. LOBSTERS. 

 No close time is observed for lobsters. All the lobsters they get on this coast Q auae 

 are not worth speaking about. The price of crabs has increased very much ; 

 it has risen from Sd. to 10c?., Is., and \4d. a dozen. 



(Examined by Mr. Buckland.) There are no lobsters worth speaking 

 about. The bottom is sandy and rocky, more sand than rock. They fish on 

 about two miles of sand and four miles of rock. The lobsters live chiefly 

 on the rock, the crabs on the sand. The rock is covered with weed. Can Decrease. 

 form no idea why the lobsters have gone away. The Gourdon fishermen 

 knew that he (witness) was coming to give evidence, and thinks that, if they 



