18 



LOBSTERS. 



Close time. 



Breeding. 

 Gauge. 



CRABS. 

 Decrease. 



Migration. 

 Soft. 

 Used for bait. 



liedding sliells. 



Season for. 



Soft. 



Gauge. 



Decrease. 



Shedding shells 

 Close time. 



Gauge, 

 decrease. 



the lobsters were 3hd. each. When smacks ceased coming in 1843 an agent 

 came from Eosehearty to Portsoy ; the name of the man who sent the lobsters 

 away by rail was Duthie. He gave 8d. each for them. This agent remained 

 about three years and then left for the Western Highlands. There has been no 

 agent since, and each fisherman sends his own take away south by rail. The 

 price varies, but they have had as much as 5s. for a lobster. The close season 

 of the Act 9 Geo. II. cap. 33 was never known or observed here: There is 

 very little doubt that a close season for lobsters would be beneficial, but it 

 would be a puzzle to fix it, as lobsters breed all through the year. Thinks 

 that a gauge would be beneficial and that it should be seven inches from the 

 tip of the nose to the beginning of the tail. For the sake of preservation it 

 would be better to return all below that size. There are not many caught 

 below this size, but those that are caught are kept. Thinks no reasonable 

 fisherman would object to the gauge. It would be a great advantage to return 

 berried lobsters to the water, but at the same time it would be a great sacrifice 

 to the fishermen. 30 per cent, of all the lobsters taken are "berried " all the 

 season through. 



The crabs have also fallen off, though more are coming into the village in 

 consequence of the increased number of appliances for taking them. With 

 the same number of pots in 1832 they would have caught double the number 

 of crabs. When he commenced taking crabs as an agent 12 years ago he 

 paid lie?, for 12. The present price in Whitehills is 3s. 6d. a dozen. This is 

 due to competition, and cannot probably continue. 



Produces rough chart of sea bottom adjacent to Banff, McDuff, and White- 

 hills, showing that in the autumn months the crabs are out three miles from land ; 

 and in the summer months, May to August, near land for shelling. 



There is very little meat in the shells in November. The crabs will make 

 a close season for themselves in the winter months when they are all down in 

 the sand. November, December, and January are useless months to the 

 fishermen. Crabs cannot be caught in these months. Crabs are occasionally 

 used as bait ; but not in November, December, and January. The principal 

 bait are mussels, which come from Port Glasgow, though the crabs are the 

 finest bait. The crabs are too valuable to use for bait. Would return all crabs 

 under 5 inches. 



(By Mr. Walpole.) The sketch purports to show the position of the crabs 

 from May to August, and in September to November. From May to August 

 the crabs are on the sandy bottom near the shore, and on the adjacent reefs 

 near the shore. Thinks they come on to the foreshore for the purpose 

 of " shelling." The crabs at that time are in a very bad condition, though 

 many people fancy them. Not 10 per cent, of the crabs caught in the 

 summer months (May to August) are females. The rest are all males. The 

 male crabs are, however, also in bad condition in these months. The young 

 crabs (male and female) are near the shore. Though they are in bad condition 

 the value does not fall. The fishermen would think it a great hardship to 

 close these months. In September and October the crabs are first class. In 

 November they have just spawned, and the game is up. The soft crabs on this 

 part of the coast are in May, June, July, and August. Proposes as a 

 remedy that no person should take any crab below a certain size. Is not 

 sure whether this gauge should be 5 inches or 4^ inches. 



William Ritchie (examined by Mr. Walpole), a fisherman living at 

 Whitehills. Has been a fisherman for 20 years. Heard Mr. Finlay's evidence. 

 Agrees that there are fewer crabs and lobsters than when he began fishing. 

 Agrees with Mr. Finlay that the crabs are near the shore from May to August, 

 and further out to sea in September and October. Thinks (with Mr. Finlay) 

 that the crabs cast their shells in June, July, and August. Thinks it would 

 be a good thing to have a close season for crabs. Catching crabs in June, 

 July, and August is like cutting green corn. The fishermen (old men) catch 

 them at that season as bait, and is afraid that closing these months would be 

 an injury to those old men. If those months cannot be closed, it could be no 

 use closing any months. Proposes, as an alternative, a gauge. Would let no 

 crab be caught under 5 inches. Lobsters are also decreasing. It is a rare 

 thing now to get a lobster. Thinks it would be necessary to close lobster 

 fishery altogether. There are above 30 boats at Whitehills crabbing. After the 

 crab season they go to other fish. When he began there were not a dozen 



