11 



Isabella McKinlav. The best months for crabs are July, August, Sep- CRABS. 



tember, and October. Nothing under 5 inches ought to be taken. In April, G 



May, and June the female crabs are in bad order but the male crabs are „ ' 

 •j season Jor. 



Mrs. Livingstone, fish-saleswoman. Londoners want crabs in January and Used for bait. 

 February, the Scotch in September and October. If the fishermen could not 

 catch crabs in winter they would have no bait for the lines. Mussels are 

 expensive and difficult to get on account of the spates in the river. 



North Eastern Hotel, Peterhead, Monday, 9th October 1876. 



Present : 

 Frank Buckland, Esquire. 



Thomas Hutton, Custom-House officer. Has lived at Peterhead nearly 

 60 years. Knows the bulk of the fishermen. There are not above five or 

 six boats going out to the crab and lobster fishing. In his experience the 

 crabs have diminished in numbers more than half. Does not know if they Decrease. 

 have diminished in size. A great many crabs are taken among the rocks with 

 clips by women and children in the months of April, May, June, and July. 

 The crabs taken with the clip are mostly small, about 3 or 4 inches ; a 6-inch 

 " partan" or crab is a large one. Other crabs are called "dog crabs." They 

 are not in spawn at that time. Never saw them in spawn on the shore; Spawning. 

 they spawn in deep water. Attributes the falling off in number to the bad 

 weather here while casting their shells. Has not been able for the last three 

 years to get a he-partan or crab that did not want a claw, and many had no 

 claws. This is on account of their being soft when casting their shells, their So ^ t - 

 claws being then knocked off by storms. The crabs here are not over-fished. 

 Those caught here mostly go south by railway. To increase the size and 

 number of the crabs, there should be a close time from July to September Close time. 

 for crabs under 4| inches to enable them to harden their shell and increase 

 in size. There are some lobsters taken here, but the numbers have LOBSTERS. 



fallen off. Thinks it is owing to the bad seasons, not to over-fishing. They 



have fallen off during the last two or three years. They are caught with 



clicks. Lobsters with "ran," i.e. spawn or roe, under 4 inches in the barrel, Gauge. 



should be put back into the water. The larger lobsters should not be put 



back because they are of considerable value for the market. Lobsters are Spawning. 



found with roe at all seasons. Has seen lobsters as small as 3 inches. Lobsters 



cast their shells in June, July, and August. The female lobsters should not Soft.' 



be taken during that time. The he-lobsters might be taken then. 



George Bruce, fisherman. Has fished for crabs for 14 years. Fishes from tt?au«5 



Rattrayhead to Buchanness Light, a distance of 12 miles. The farthest distance ' 



he fishes out at sea is 400 yards. The crabs are taken on a rocky bottom, at 



a depth from 15 fathoms to 3 feet of water. Catches them in. rings (iron 



rings of 22 inches diameter with a net of small mesh). Baits this net with Bait for. 



fish of any kind. The rings are lifted four times at night. Sets about 40 



rings. Never saw more than one partan in a ring. A crab could get out of a 



ring quite easily. Does not think the crabs have fallen off much here. Last 



season there were three boats from Buchanhaven, one from Peterhead, and one 



from Burnhaven. Crabs have not diminished, either in size or number. Is No decrease. 



sure the ground is not over-fished. Believes it would be advantageous to have 



a close season for crabs. July and August should be the close season, because Close time. 



then they spawn, and cast their shells and are soft. Thinks crabs under 



4| inches should be returned to the water at all times of the year. The Gauge. 



fishermen would not regard this as a hardship. Uses small crabs for bait in Used for bait 



May and June. They are put on hooks to catch cod. During these months 



small crabs, or "bowers " are valuable for bait. Few partans are used as bait. 



If it were made illegal to take these small crabs for bait it would be a little 



inconvenience to the fishermen. More small crabs are taken by women and 



boys on the rocks than by regular fishermen. They sell and eat them. Does 



not know if they would consider it a hardship to be prevented. The general 



