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herrings does not afford a sort of natural close season to the crabs and 

 lobsters. The lobster lishers are to a great extent dependent on the iobster 

 fishing. Thinks that the benefit from the close season would compensate them 

 for the temporary loss they might incur; and the decrease is gradually in- 

 creasing, so the temporary loss must in any case occur. 



(By Mr. Backland.) The fishermen in the course of a feiv months or so 

 would be so much benefited that they might stand the temporary loss. Would 

 allow the use of crabs for bait. They are only used to a limited extent. Lim- 

 pets are largely used. It is not necessary in the district to have any law about 

 use of crabs for bait. 



Thinks that any law that is made should be enforced by fishery officers. Enforcement of 

 There are two at Wick, four in the fishing season, and they could easily carry law ' 

 out the law. The fishery officers are stationed — two at Wick, one 13 miles 

 south at Lybster, one at Helmsdale 20 miles further on, one at Cromarty, one 

 at Burghead, one at Buckie, one at Macduff, one at Fraserburgh, one at 

 Peterhead. The nearest officer north of Wick is at St. Margaret's Hope at 

 Orkney; there is one at Shetland, one at Stornoway. The fishery officers are 

 constantly travelling about the coast, and could then manage to enforce the 

 close season. The Wick officer once or twice a year makes a circuit of the coast 

 from Wick to Cape Wrath. 



William Reid, commission agent, Wick (examined by Mr. Buckland). Born T ^ 



60 years ago, has studied natural history for a long time, has paid special 



attention to the natural history of the lobster. The eggs of the lobster are 

 formed inside, they are then in a very minute form, and latterly they are pawmn 9 °j- 

 extruded by two canals in the body of the fish and are made to adhere under 

 the tail. Believes that they are not all extruded at the same time. There are 

 from 24,000 to 30,000 eggs in a lobster. Believes each hen lobster spawns 

 once a year. Most of the berried hens are found from April to June. From 

 March to July never partook of a hen without coral in or outside of her. 

 Thinks the hen carries her eggs for a very long time, because in the same fish 

 he finds the minute coral inside and the berries outside. These are gradually 

 extruded just as the hen gradually lays her eggs. Thinks lobsters are in the best 

 condition before the eggs are extruded, but the cooks value them when they 

 are berried. Believes that the young when they are hatched out are not Young of 

 protected by their mother. Thinks that the decrease is not due to storms, 

 which always occurred, but to over-fishing. Is opposed to a close season 

 because lobsters are in the best condition when they are in roe. A close season 

 could never be carried out. In Orkney, where he has lived for 30 years, there 

 are 60 islands, 30,000 people, 1 fishery officer, and 3 police, and the law of 

 close season could not be carried out. The same thing applies to the Western 

 Highlands. All lobsters under 8 to 9 inches long, or 4| inches in the barrel, Gauge. 

 should be put back. This law could be enforced in the markets. The law of 

 close season could also be enforced in the markets, and believes that any law 

 to be made must be enforced in the markets. There would be a difficulty 

 about the close season because the lobsters might arrive from other places. 

 If there is a close season it must be a universal close season, and it would be 

 necessary to stop importation in those months. The lobster fishery at Wick 

 was, but is not now, an important industry. They have fallen off in numbers, 

 and there are other fishings more profitable, e.g., herrings in summer, had- 

 docks in autumn,, cod and herrings in winter. The enactment of the gauge 

 would to a limited extent remedy the decrease, but not entirely. 



Believes the fertilisation of the ova in the lobster is effected in the ordinary 

 way. The lobster is called zoea in its early shape. Sees a French book says 

 they shed their shell four times a year. Has no opinion whether they shed 

 their shell more than once a year. Crabs are not of great importance in Wick 

 commercially. 



Staxigo is the first village north from Wick ; there are only a few boats for 

 crabs and lobsters there. Keissis the next place where crab and lobster fishing 

 is carried on, and Ackergill is the next village. Fresvvick is the next to 

 Ackergill ; there is no important crab and lobster fishery there, and John- 

 o'Groat's is the next place, and is an important fishing station. 



40353. 



