8 



CRABS. 



Used for bait. 



No decrease. 

 Boats. 

 Gauge. 

 Close time. 



Gauge. 

 LOBSTERS. 



Gauge. 



were in the room, they would agree with him. Crabs are very seldom broken 

 up for bait. Mussels are chiefly used. Crabs are too valuable. Lobsters are 

 tied and not plugged. 



Robert Adams {examined by Mr. Walpole), manager at Gourdon for 

 Joseph Johnson and Sons. Has been engaged six years ; before that was at 

 Montrose as cooper and fisherman. Buys a great many crabs for Messrs. 

 Johnson. Contracts with three boats for their whole take. Has done this for 

 three years. The take continues much about the same. There are 20 boats 

 at Gourdon; last year there were 19. They have had from 18 to 22 boats 

 every year for six years. The take per boat is just about the same as it always 

 has been. No legislation is needed except as to size. All crabs under 

 5 inches should be returned to the sea. About a third of the present take are 

 below 5 inches. Knows very little about lobsters. There are very few lobsters 

 in this district. A close season is not necessary for crabs. October to March 

 is a natural, close season. 



{By Mr, Buckland.) There are about three men in each boat at Gourdon. 

 Thinks that most of the fishermen agree with evidence given by Moir and 

 Walker. 



William Douglas Johnson {examined by Mr. Buckland), a member of 

 the firm of Messrs. Joseph Johnson and Sons, Montrose. Has been engaged 

 for 25 years in business. Arbroath is the principal station of the firm for crabs 

 and lobsters. Does not think that there is any falling off in the aggregate take 

 of lobsters and crabs so as to affect the public supply. Whenever the price 

 rises the quantity always comes forward. Is not in favour of a close season ; 

 thinks it would be of no great advantage. Thinks a crab of 4f inches is a 

 good marketable crab, and should not be returned. It would be worth \\d. 

 boiled and retailed. Thinks, therefore, the gauge should be 4 inches. All 

 below that size should be returned. Lobsters below 4^ inches in the barrel 

 are half lobsters, and no lobster under 4 inches should be taken at all. Never 

 heard of lobsters being plugged. The berried hens are very valuable ; but 

 the London merchants do not give more for berried hens than others. 



(By Mr. Young.) Knows no places where crabs and lobsters were once 

 plentiful and are now fished out. 



Imperial Hotel, Aberdeen, Saturday, 7th October 1876. 



Present : 



Frank Buckland, Spencer Walpole, and Archibald Young, 



Esquires. 



CRABS. William Paul {examined by Mr. Buckland), advocate of Aberdeen ; lives at 



Stranathraw Cottage, Muchalls. Has lived there 10 years, and been interested 



in crab and lobster fisheries. There are five boats in village of Stranathraw or 

 Muchalls, representing about 30 men. They are all white fishermen, but all 

 have crab pots. Each boat 10 or 12 years ago had three or four creels, and 



Decrease. now each boat has only one or two. The crabs have fallen off in numbers. 



Has observed no decrease in size. Was told last night by an old man, Alex- 

 ander Christie, that crabs had fallen off in size. Thinks that the falling off 

 is due to the mode of fishing, which is most improvident. In September and 



Spawning. October crabs are in the best order. After that the female crabs spawn, and they 



get in bad order and are unfit for food. Understands from fishermen that 

 when they spawn they cast their shell, and gradually improve from that time till 



Soft. month of July. When they get in bad order fishermen catch many more 



than when they are in good order. Has often in November himself seen great 

 baskets full of crabs, all of which were unfit for human food. These crabs 



Used for hail. are used as bait. The breast is pulled off and the back is used. The crab is 

 the best "bait, far better than mussels. A line of 40 score hooks is baited one 

 half with c?abs (if they can begot) and one half with mussels or bullock's liver. 

 Twenty cra^)S are required to bait one line. The crabs are not used as bait 

 when thev are in good order, they are too valuable. The claws of crabs in 

 November are soft and watery. Thinks that the wanton destruction of crabs 

 unfit for food is the cause of scarcity. Even in October, when crabs are in 



