36 



LOBSTERS. 



for. 



Price. 



Decrease. 



time. 



Spawning. 



Gauge. 



CRABS. 



Valueless. 

 LOBSTERS. 



Decrease. 



Price. 



Rings. 



Joseph Murrell {examined by Mr. Walpole). Fishcurer, fish-salesman, and 

 auctioneer, at Stromness. Has been in the lobster business 26 years. Buys 

 from fishermen in the South Isles and West Mainland, The lobsters on the 

 east side were larger than those on west side. The west side lobsters were 

 25 years ago from 5d. to Id. In March they would be 7d., in May fall to 5d. 

 The lobster season then commenced in March and continued to the 16th 

 July. This system continued till 1854. In 1854 he began to take 

 lobsters in the harvest-time from the middle of August. They went on 

 from that time taking them all the year round. In 1854, when the harvest 

 fishing began, the price was 6d. The price has risen more rapidly since 

 1866. In 1865 the lobsters were about 9d. to 1st May, 6d. afterwards. 

 In 1866 the price was the same. In 1875 the lobsters were Is. in September, 

 Is. 3d: in November, Is. 6d. in December, 2s. January to March, Is. 6d., 

 April to May, and Is. afterwards; Thinks that the price is due to increased 

 competition. But there are not so many lobsters in the sea as there 

 were. There are 4 to 1 more buyers. There is a locality from Houton 

 Head to Stromness and from Stromness Head to Cantick Head where they 

 formerly could go out and get 40 to 50 lobsters in anight. They could not now 

 get two. Three men run out the whole of their gear on this ground with fully 

 40 rings and creels, and only get 36 lobsters. The proper remedy for this is a 

 close season. 



The close season should commence on 16th July and end on 1st Decem- 

 ber. July, however, practically protects itself as the men are on the 

 herrings. Thinks that a close season of this kind would do much to restore 

 the fishery. Would make it illegal to fish for, buy, and sell lobsters in these 

 months. The spawning season here depends on the weather. In hot weather 

 the lobsters spawn earlier. Has found berried lobsters in all seasons of the 

 year. Thinks that when the berries get reddish and ripe the lobster should 

 be returned. Thinks that there would be no temptation to the fishermen -to 

 remove the berries, and that the fishermen would not lose much, as there 

 would only be about 10 in a season. It would be impossible to return all 

 the berried lobsters. Has seen 70 out of 100 berried. The lobsters are 

 generally kept in chests while afloat in the sea. The lobsters in the chests eat 

 each other's spawn. 



Would also return all lobsters under 10 inches to the sea. There is a bed 

 of small lobsters off Hoy Head. Off Hoy Head, however, not 10 per cent, 

 would be below 10 inches. * 



The decrease is not so marked on the Atlantic side of the islands as in the 

 Bays. The Rackwick (South of Hoy) was never fished except between March 

 and July before last year. The men also took to creels last year, and in one season 

 they cleared the ground, and have had this year to go into deep water. Nine years 

 ago the nine boats at Rackwick caught 1,250 lobsters each ; last year they only 

 caught 450 each. Thinks that the fishery was fished out in one year, but the 

 preceding year there was a Banffshire boat on this ground. The year was a 

 calm one. 



(By Mr. Young.) Believes that a lobster ground of limited extent may be 

 entirely fished out in a few years. Knew all the London smacks that came 

 down to buy lobsters. The smacks took from 20,000 to 30,000 lobsters each, 

 but they only fished in the proper seasons, and did therefore no injury. 



Would have a close season enforced by advertisement and by the public pro- 

 secutor. The 25th Section of the Act of 1868 (Scotch Salmon Fisheries) 

 would, mutatis mutandis, be sufficient, but it would be better to enforce the 

 law on buyer and seller. 



(By Mr. Walpole.) Crabs are caught here, but are not used as merchandise, 

 a few are sold in the towns. It wouldn't pay to go and fish for crabs alone. 



Robert Hercus (examined by Mr. Young). A fisherman residing at Kirkwall. 

 Has been a fisherman for 30 years. During that time has seen a great deal of 

 the Orkney lobster fisheries especially in the North Isles. There are not so 

 many lobsters now, not half so many as when he commenced fishing 30 

 years ago. They are also smaller. 30 years ago would get 5d. for a lobster. 

 Would get now Is. 3c?. to Is. 6d. There are not more fishermen engaged in 

 the fishery than there were 30 years ago. But after harvest-time the farmers 

 take to it. 



Thirty years ago the boats had no creels, only rings. Now they carry 



