Stock Of Blue Whales In Arctic Waters Said To Be Declining

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28150, 13 December 1956, Page 9

Stock Of Blue Whales In Arctic Waters Said To Be Declining

Whaling is becoming more and more difficult in the Northern Hemisphere, according to a veteran Norwegian whale fisherman. Hans Farmen, manager of the factory ship Norhval, quoted in the Norwegian Export Council Bulletin, says the stock of whales is declining. “The factory ships and catcher boats have to be on the move constantly, instead of lying still at one spot. In the second season after the war we got 600 blue whales, last year only 20. “The days of the blue whale are numbered,” said Mr Farmen. “We now have to rely on the fin whales. The stock of fin whales is also declining, but. not so noticeably.” Urging tighter international control of whaling, Mr Farmen said that “certain foreign expeditions catch whales before and after the permitted hunting season, and take whales smaller than the permitted size. If expansion continues—and this looks likely with Japan sending five expeditions this year and the Russians planning to build a new factory ship of 40.000 tons

with 20 catcher boats —the stock of whales is bound to die out completely. With effective international control, whaling could be operated profitably for decades to come.” The value of the Norhval and »its

catcher Boats, with equipment, was recently estimated by a writer in the Oslo newspaper, “Aftenposten,” at £sm, and the cost of fitting out the expedition for this winter’s operations, plus wages, at £l.2m. Commenting on the heavy investment required for whaling today, Mr Farmen said it was necessary to use the very best technical equipment. “As stocks decline the technical equipment has to be improved constantly.” This year the Norhval has on board a £50,000 Westland Sikorsky 55 helicopter which will be used for pathfinding among ice floes and for assisting in spotting whales..