THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1948. THE WHALING INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26713, 6 March 1948, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1948. THE WHALING INDUSTRY

The suggestion originally put forward in the columns of the Daily Times that Port Chalmers would probably provide an ideal base on which to establish an Antarctic pelagic whaling industry has reI ceivecl unexpected, but encouraging, commendation from Captain Kurt Baglo, who commands the crippled chaser which was towed from the Antarctic to the port of Otago. This forthright and capable whaling man, with a lifetime of experience in the trade, stated unhesitatingly that Port Chalmers was eminently preferable to Capetown—from which most of the fleets are operating—as a base, being closer to the fishing grounds and having facilities for the repair of large factory ships which Capetown cannot provide. Whales are plentiful this year, and the wealth of the Antarctic seas is being vigorously exploited by British, Norwegian, Dutch, Russian and Japanese expeditions. In spite of the voluntary restrictions of the International Whaling Convention, and the fact that the whales were scarcely disturbed during the war years, it is doubtful whether operations on such an intensive scale—there are at least 16 factory-ship and catcher units at work this season—will continue to be as profitable in the future. There should, however, always be scope for the economic operation of a fleet which, being based on New Zealand, would require to spend no more than five months at sea.

One of the most significant remarks made by Captain Baglo was that many of the expeditions had moved eastward from the waters of the Falkland Dependencies to the Ross Sea, New Zealand’s own dependency. Their presence there cannot be protested while they acknowledge the terms of the protocol, but New Zealand has no means of ensuring that the prohibitions are being observed. Our representation with the whaling fleets is practically negligible and no machinery exists for the imposition of penalties even if breaches of the convention are reported. In fact, New Zealand is not only losing a potential source of considerable wealth, but is even being deprived of the ordinary revenue which, if a proper control were exercised over the dependency, might accrue through the issue of licences or imposts on catches made in these waters. It has been reported several times that the question of this country’s participation in the whaling industry was under consideration: the time is now overdue for the Government to announce its decision, or at least its policy in regard to development in the Antarctic. Given an official lead, South Island interests would not be slow to organise the establishment of an expedition to take part in an industry which can be made to yield extremely profitable returns.