03 

 Glasgow, Saturday, 4th November 1876. 



Present: 



Archibald Young, Esquire. 



Hugh Maclachlan, fish merchant, 18, Jackson Street, Glasgow. Has LOBSTERS. 



been 30 years engaged in the lobster trade. Was the first person who ever 



sent a boat to fish in the island of Harris, now a chief centre of the lobster 

 fisheries. When he first began business, Mr. Ritchie, Iona, Mr. Gallagher, 

 Greenock, and himself had the whole trade in lobsters on the western coasts 

 and islands in their hands. Lobsters were then very plentiful, far more Decrease. 

 plentiful than they are now, and they did not generally go farther north than 

 Salen, in Mull, to fish for them. Was the first man to introduce creels for 

 fishing for lobsteis at Port Skerry, on the west coast of Sutherlandshire. 

 Previously to that, the fishermen there had all fished with rings. Creels are 

 more deadly, and enable the fishermen to fish in deeper water. The boats at 

 first would carry about 36 creels per boat. Each boat now carries many more Creels. 

 creels, and there are three times as many boats engaged in fishing. In 1852, 

 one of his boats fishing at the Hysker Islands, took 100 boxes of lobsters 

 in a fortnight, each box containing 'S\ dozen, for which he paid 10s. per 

 dozen ; 3\ dozen lobsters would then fill a box ; now it takes from 7 to 8 

 dozen to do so. Lobsters have decreased greatly in size as well as in number. 

 If there were as many lobsters in the sea as there used to be, the increased 

 number of boats and creels should catch four times as many as they do. 

 Never used to commence lobster fishing before 1st October, and stopped on 

 1st May. Has paid as much as 2,500/. in one year for lobsters shipped at 

 Kallin and Tarbert in Harris. His reason for commencing fishing on 1st 

 October, and stopping on 1st May, was that it seemed to him in the long run 

 to be the most judicious and profitable course to follow. Considers, and has Close time. 

 always considered, that a close time is essential for the preservation and de- 

 velopment of the fisheries ; and now that they have decreased so much, they 

 can only be restored by enacting a close time, and seeing it strictly enforced. 

 Would have the fishing season to extend from 1st November to 1st May, and 

 would have the rest of the year close time, the close time to be enforced in the 

 public markets, as in the Salmon Fishery Acts. The penalty should apply to 

 taking, buying, or selling. Is of opinion that the close time suggested would 

 not interfere with the productiveness of the fishings on the west coast of the 

 Long Island, and of the other Outer Hebrides, because the lobsters caught in 

 these places during the warm months won't carry to market, the localities are 

 so remote. They won't keep. There is a great loss, even in the case of the 

 lobsters caught on the Atlantic seaboard of these islands during the latter half 

 of May, in their transit to the English markets. When first engaged in the 

 lobster trade, scarcely ever took a lobster under 4J inches in barrel. Lobsters Gauge. 

 counted two for one if they wanted a claw. Put back all the small lobsters, 

 and hardly ever took one under A\ inches in barrel. Is obliged now to take 

 them any size, often under 3 inches in the barrel ; but strongly disapproves 

 of taking such small lobsters, and would wish to have a gauge enacted which 

 would effectually put a stop to it. Thinks the gauge by barrel measurement 

 the fairest and best. Would return to the sea all lobsters under Ah inches in the 

 barrel. Twelve fathoms is the deepest water in which he has known lobsters 

 fished for. The average weight of lobsters has decreased at least one-half. 

 Thirty years ago 20 lobsters would weigh as much as 45 now. Over-fishing is 

 the cause of this. Prices are now higher than when he first began business. Price. 

 Paid at first from 10s. to 12s. per dozen all the year round, now pays double. 

 Last year occasionally gave 40s. a dozen for lobsters. Once got a half tea- 

 chest of lobsters from Portencross on the Firth of Clyde, containing about 

 three dozen. This was sent to Messrs. W. Forbes Stuart, & Co. of London, and 

 the price got for the three dozen was 18/. 10s. This was about the year 1851 

 or 1852. Norwegian lobsters first came in about 15 years ago. They have 

 had a very bad effect in lowering prices in the home market. If a gauge be Gauge. 

 enacted it must apply to all lobsters brought to the British market, foreign as 

 well as home. The gauge and close time should also, if possible, apply to the 

 whole country, and not be local; but if it should be found expedient, for 

 40353. N 



