246 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The Board publish the following statistics in the 

 Memorandum as to the number of lobsters caught on the 

 West Coast in the years stated : - — 



1900 . 



.. 104,062 



1905 



.. 69,572 



1901 . 



.. 98,826 



1906 



.. 67,997 



1902 . 



.. 94,943 



1907 



.. 51,009 



1903 . 



.. 64,174 



1908 



.. 53,706 



1904 . 



.. 78,237 



1909 



.. 46,806 



If this table be correct then there is clear evidence 

 of a rapid and serious decline in the yield of the West 

 Coast lobster fisheries, a decline which if not checked will 

 lead to the complete extinction of the fisheries in another 

 nine years or so. 



The Board state : — " On the West Coast the landings 

 in the second period of five years are 151,152, or 34'3 per 

 cent, less than those in the first, and the decrease from 

 year to year is fairly steady, 1909 showing a decrease of 

 over 50 per cent, on 1900." 



" There is reason to believe that the statistics have 

 been fuller and more accurate of late years, so that the 

 decrease shown .... notably for the West Coast is 

 not at all likely to be due to less efficient collection of 

 statistics." 



While this last statement may be perfectly true it 

 does not exclude the possibility of error. The decline 

 may be due, and as I shall endeavour to show is really 

 due, to the more efficient collection of statistics and not 

 to a falling off in the fisheries. The fact is the earlier 

 totals for the West Coast are unfortunately fictitious 

 and are far too high. 



If this be not the case then it is obvious that the 

 measures of protection, or the methods of enforcing them, 

 on the West Coast are not sufficient to preserve the 



