WHALING

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 51, 7 September 1928, Page 6

WHALING

IN ROSS SEA

PAST YEAR'S OPERATIONS

A. SUCCESSFUL SEASON

Reviewing in Iris annual report, to Parliament tho operations of whalefishing licenses in tht, Ross Dependency, the. Secretary of the Marine Department (Mr. G. C. Godfrey) states that indications arc that whales have not been unduly depleted, and that the licensees have conformed to tho conditions of their license, . , . ; This year.-marked rtho fifth successive, whaling season in the Ross Dependency. The Norwegian whaling expedition, comprising the floating factories Sir James Clark Ross and C. A. Larson, each having five whale-catchers, met with a successful season. The first three whaling seasons in Ross Dependency wore worked only by the whalefactory Sir James Clark Ross and her five whale-catchers, and the last two by the addition of the Or A. Larsen and her five whale-catchers. Both of these factories operate under a license now controlled Jjy this Dominion. This season the expedition was not attended by an official representative, but tho Departmental report investigation indicates that the licensees have conformed to the conditions of the license, which among its provisions requires the whole of tho whale-carcasses,shall be utilised in tho production of oil, and that whalocarcassea shall not bo di carded. OIL PROCURED. S The amount of whale-oil procured during this season has exceeded that' of any earlier season. The results of each of the five seasons', operations which usually terminate in March, actually were:— ■ -■• Barrels* Season. Factory. Whales, of Oil. 1023-24. Sir James Clark Ross 221 17,791 1924-25. Sir James Clark Ross 427 32,165 1925-26. Sir Jamea Clark Rosa 531 37,700 1920-27. Sir James Clark Boss 254 22,800 C. A. Larso* .......... 532 47,500 1927-2 S. Sir Jiimea Clari Ross 616 48,000 C. A. Larsen 839 76,000 "Ono barrel equals 40 Imp. gals. Tho unlicensed whalo-^ittory, N. T. JTeilsqn-Alonso,1 with her fivp whalecatch.ers, again operated in... Boss Dependency during this season, this being her second season there.1 From information obtained she is said to have procured approximately 46,000 barrels of oil, but it is not known actually how many whalos Vfgve taken t>y that factory. This unlicensed factory, which uses Hobart, Tasmania, as her base, operated continuously in proximity to tho factories of the New Zealand licensoes, and she was frequently seen by them during the whaling season. UNFAIR COMPETITION. Tho ontire scson's operations by all the whale-factories were carried out boyond tho territorial waters on Ross Dependoncy, and mostly beyond sight of land; thoreforo, the unlicensed factory could not be interfered with. It was observed by the' New Zealand licensees that tho unlicensed factory practised wasteful methods'.of procuring oil, and when whales were in abundance many carcasses were riot, completely utilised, but were abandoned? after1 the blubber had been stripped from them. The New Zealand licensees are required to utilise tho carcasses of all whalos taken, and not only the blubber, in the production of oil. Therefore they have to compete unfairly—that is, to carry out their whaling operations in competition with an unlicensed factory upon which restrictions cannot bo imposed. The question of ,iegulating the ..operations of unlicensed factories is a matter call-" ing for international, agreement, and overtures in this : dJreation.-.have already been made, but it would appear that some time must elapse before complete agreement in this 'direction will be achieved. NO PROTECTION TO LICENSEES. Reports have already reached tho Department that at least o .c more unlicensed factory., fritendfiV'to' iyisit.. Ross Dependency during the coming season, doubtless owing to. ,the .success., of ..last season's operations. If;this eventuates the New Zealand licensees will bo faced with further competition, such as may cause their operations to become unprofitable. This will be unfortunate, states the report, but pending international agreement being accomplished we shall be unable to extend to our licensees any. protection whatsoever, provided the unlicensed factories continue to operate as they have already done —that is, eoMnp their operations without the territorial'waters of Ross Dependency. Experience of past seasons shows the most profitable whaling operations to be those carried out boyond the territorial waters, and mostly beyond sight of land. An abundance of whales during this season enabled the New Zealand licensees' factories, also the unlicensed factories, to complete their operations and depart from Ross Dependency before unfavourable weather conditions or a shortage of whales occurred.. This, says the Department, would seem to show that whales have not become unduly depleted, but it is not an indication that the next will not be a lean season, or that whales may be scarce in Ross Dependency and more plentiful at other Antarctic whaling grounds. Further, this season's operations in Falkland Island Dependency do not show the plenitude of whales in. our dependency to have adversely influenced whaling operations in that portion of the Antarctic.