Ixii 



'Thirtieth Annual Report 



The Natural History of the Lobster. 



The Board have had under their consideration the question of what 

 might be done to promote the lobster fishery and to increase our 

 knowledge of the life-history of the lobster, and of the conditions 

 under which lobster culture might be initiated with advantage. At- 

 tention was directed to the lobster pond at Cullipool, Luing, near 

 Oban, which belongs to the West Highland Lobster Company, and in 

 which from 15,000 to 20,000 lobsters can be accommodated. After 

 a visit to the pond by the Secretary of the Board, it was arranged that 

 a series of investigations should be carried on there by Dr. Williamson, 

 who has made a special study of the natural history of the lobster, and 

 for this purpose all facilities were kindly granted by the management. 

 The investigations proposed comprise researches on the reproduction 

 and growth of the lobster, on the life-history of the lobster in the 

 sea, and on the lobster fishery ; and it is hoped that these may be 

 continued in the course of the ensuing summer and autumn. With 

 regard to the rearing of lobster fry, which in recent years has been 

 carried on with much success in America, and for which the facilities 

 at Cullipool are great, it was found that the expense of the necessary 

 apparatus and equipment would be very considerable, and it was 

 decided to postpone further consideration of this matter in the 

 meantime. 



Fishery Investiga tions in the North Sea. 



Since the 1st April 1910, when the international investigations in 

 the North Sea were placed under the direct control of the Board, the 

 fishery investigations of the research steamer, the " Goldseeker," have 

 been under Dr. Fulton's charge, and have been carried out according 

 to a monthly scheme submitted to and approved by the Board. The 

 following is a summary of the work accomplished in the period : — 



Trawling Investigations. 



These investigations were made in each month of the year, except 

 in May, August, and December, when the vessel was engaged in 

 hydrographic investigations, or laid up for repairs and overhaul. The 

 total number of the hauls of the trawl which were taken was 152, of 

 which 57 were made with the large otter- trawl, generally with a 

 small-meshed net covering the cod-end of the trawl, and 95 with a 

 smaller beam-trawl for quantitative purposes. Over 200,000 fishes 

 were captured, all but a small proportion of which were measured 

 and the sizes recorded, while large numbers were opened and the 

 condition of the reproductive organs ascertained and noted. In some 

 instances, also, observations were made upon the food of the fishes, as 

 determined by an examination of the contents of the stomachs. 



The trawling with the large otter-trawl was made on various 

 grounds, including the Great Fisher Bank, the Witch Grounds, the 

 grounds off Aberdeen, and in the Firth of Forth and the Moray Firth. 

 The investigation of the offshore banks was sometimes extremely 

 difficult, owing to the unfavourable conditions of the weather. The 

 trawling with the beam-trawl was confined to the old trawling 



