WHALING

Hokitika Guardian, 10 June 1937, Page 5

WHALING

A CLOSE SEASON arranged at conference, (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). LONDON June 8. " J Representatives of New Zealand, Australia, Britain, Germany South Africa, the Irish Free State, the United States, the Argentine, and Norway have signed a winding agreement providing for a nine months’ close season lor pelagic whaling, also the absolute prohibition of whaling in certain a roas. Canada and Portugal were also represented at the conference by observers, and there is good reason to hope that they will shortly accede to the agreement. It is hoped also to secure the adhesion of other governments which did not take part in the conference but which have whaling interests to preserve. The agreement will come into force on July l, subject to ratification, and will be in full force until June 20, 1938, with a provision for its continuance after that date. The agreement follows on the whole, familiar lines, and under it, it will not be lawful to take blue whales of less than <0 feet in length, fin whales less than do feet, hump-back whales less than 3d feet, and sperm whales less than 3d feet. Extension of this form of protection to the sperm whale, which has not hitherto received any protection, is one of the novelties of the agreement. Whaling at land stations is to be subject to a six months’ close season. The agreement is accompanied by a final act in which the conference discusses various matters not dealt with in the agreement. It also recommends to the governments that tht*y should prepare to take, in agreement with one another, other measures for the protection of whales in the light of further experience and knowledge. The conference states that the measures agreed upon may prove nugatory if ships of countries not parties to the agreement are permitted to indulge in unregulated whaling. It therefore urges the importance of persuading all interested governments to acede to the agreement. It concludes with the warning that unless whaling is now strictly regulated, stocks of whales cannot fail to be reduced to a level at which whaling will cease .to he remunerative.