ROSS SEA WHALING

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1930, Page 7

ROSS SEA WHALING

NOt/ALWAYS PROFITABLE. V- .f' / ’ . .; Improved methods resulted in a larg-er-average catch of whales per ship in thb Rtjss Sea last season says the Marine Department in its annual report. The average take of oil of each of tiie tfiree floating factories engaged in the 1928-29 season Was 61,833 barrels, while for the T929 : 30 season the average for each of the five factories operating was 68,238 barrels. ■ The: season generally was an unusual one'.' In the early part the whales caught were comparatively thin and the ice conditions were distinctly wore than in seasons. The pack ice was impassable until a later date than usual, apd consequently those factories which endeavoured to force a passage through lost a great deal of fishing titne, and received considerable damage) the Southern Princess losing one of lier five chasers, while the Kosmos, which early gave up. the attempt and was operating with seven fast chasers, took by far the biggest catch. It is understood that the Southern Princess will not, be operating in the Dependency during the coming season. FACTORY SHIPS COSTLY. Discussing the increasing number of •xpeditions and whales taken, and the fear that the stock will be depleted at a rate greater than usual reproduction will be able to balance, the Department states that, apart from the fact that the whales, if not taken in the Ross Sea, will probably be taken somewhere else, the financial aspect of the matter will certainly act as a regulator to some extept. These expeditions cost a very large sum of money to fit out and operate, and a bad season, either as to sea; add ice conditions or shortage of whales,, may,; easiliy result in a loss so serious that the number of expeditions will, bey reduced, ov they will operate,ln.:,other?,waters. There is evidence of this ln the' case of the Southern Pripcessj; lyhose owners; as the result of last ..season’s. experience, have decided -to;pphrate eleswhere.

’ The Department : has been seriously concerned .$n the 'matter of.-the preservation of the’ fishery ever ;; since the first visit, of- an unlicensed factory in the 1926-27 - season, when - questions of regulating):the’i patching capacity to stocks, andrtornpellihg the extraction of oil from the whole carcase, were taken up With the Home authorities. It was .? realised that, as all the catching could done in international waters, which -were -free. to : all, effective regulation in •all necessary respects could be achieved only by International agreement. The Ndrgewian Government had made its own law bn the subject, but that ‘ was limited practically to requiring all to be licensed, and ' to observe Certain regulations designed to prevent Waste. Tlie,, Economic Committee of the: League of Nations has a draft convention for the consideration

of various Governments, but falls short of regulating the killing power. . WHALING ON NEW ZEALAND ‘ - j. COASTS. .; Sonie whaling' is done around the New ’Zealand coast'. At Whangamumu base one, steamer, working with two tenders waS; engaged. Eleven men were employed at sea and fourteen ashore. In the course of the season 53 humpback wlial‘es were taken, ami yielded 241 tons ot oil, valued at £3856, and 40 tons ot bone meal, etc., valued at £245. In the Picton Sounds four oil-engined chasers and a recently-acquired parent steamship were engaged. The industry employed eight men at sea and eleven ashore. The total catch for the season was 49 humpbacks, which produced 240 tons of oil, valued at £4BOO.