50 



LOBSTERS. 



Gauge. 



CRABS. 



Valueless. 

 LOBSTERS. 



Season for. 



Spawning.' 



The lobsters are generally large, but there are sometimes four or five in a dozen 

 under 4| inches in the barrel. Would put back all lobsters under 4 inches. They 

 get very few of them under that size. The water in the Bay of Stornoway is 

 very shallow. Outside the bay they fish in 10 fathoms water. Never saw any 

 ponds for keeping lobsters. There are some on the west side of the island. 

 They take a good many crabs, but there is no sale for them. They are large 

 crabs. They would on an average measure 6 to 8 inches. 



{By Mr. Walpole.) Never fishes on the west side of the island. Was fishing on 

 the Shiant Isles 10 years ago. Was fishing for lobsters. They are fine lobsters 

 but scarce. The lobsters get very scarce in February. They are most numerous 

 in October. They get less every month after October. The rocks about here 

 do not extend very far out to sea. There are very few lobsters about here. 

 Fished in Broad Bay one year, but was too late. Does not go there because 

 there are too many boats at it. There is no other Stornoway boat in Storno- 

 way Bay. A stranger from Peterhead came here a fortnight ago. The 

 stranger is a bigger boat and goes further out to sea. Always finds some 

 spawn lobsters, even in the winter. There are four or five in a dozen. Does 

 not think he caught 40 dozen lobsters last year. During a portion of the 

 year he is not lobster fishing, but works as labourer as well as fisherman. Is 

 also a pensioner from the Navy. 



Newhaven, near Edinburgh, Monday, 23rd October 1876. 



CRABS. 



Decreased size. 

 Close time. 



Decrease. 



Creels. 



Soft. 



Gauge 

 Close time. 



Decrease. 



Netsfor. 



Decrease. 



Guage. 



Present : 

 Frank Buckland, Esquire. 



James Wilson. Has fished for crabs 30 years. There are just about as 

 many now as ever, but the average size is diminished. They are mostly caught in 

 April, May, and June. The close time should be July, August, and September, 

 The largest crab would be about 5i inches across the back. 



James Flucker. Has fished for crabs 60 years. There are fewer crabs, 

 'because there are so many catchers at work. Formerly he used to take ten or 

 twelve dozen in a day, now he catches about half this number. There are very 

 few lobsters about Newhaven ; but crabs of the best quality are caught there. 

 No creels are used, only nets. These are not baited; they are set in a line with 

 corks at the top and stones at the bottom ; they stand up like a hedge. The 

 mesh is from 2J to 3 inches, and about 4 feet in height. Each net is 50 fathoms 

 long. About 20 boats fish for crabs from April to June. 



A few old men fish from June to August. All soft crabs should be returned 

 to the water without injury. Sometimes crabs are so soft that they cannot be 

 lifted out of the net ; the crabs get so entangled in the net that it takes a long 

 time to get them out. A gauge would not act at Newhaven, because the crabs 

 get so tangled in the net. A full crab is 8 inches, the smallest is about 3 inches. 

 The months of April, May, June, and July should be open months for crab 

 fishing. 



William Watson. Fifty years ago crabs used to be more plentiful than now. 

 There are very many more catchers. Formerly there were three or four only, now 

 there are 15 or 16. Before the railway came the crabs were only sold in Edinburgh. 

 Now tinmen can sell any quantity. Nets for catching crabs have been used all 

 his time. The ground for fishing the crabs is from Musselburgh up to Queens- 

 ferry, about nine or ten miles in length, and all along the shore. The nets are 

 hauled into the boats and small crabs are thrown away. He will not give any 

 opinion about the gauge. Crabs are never used here for bait, as there are 

 plenty of mussels. 



John Liston. Has been fishing crabs for 25 years. They are less in 

 number because there are so many fishers. Creels will not act in this district, 

 the water is too shallow. The bottom is composed of hard rock and there 

 is not much sand. Is in the habit of throwing over all little crabs because 

 they are no use for sale or bait ; he heaves them over alive if possible. The 

 smallest crab caught should be> 34 inches. There are three men fishing in 

 each boat. There are not many lobsters about Newhaven, it is not worth while 





