U.S. participation in conservation of international fisheo' resources 399 



Following is a brief commentary concerning each of these agreements: 



INTERNATIONAL FUR SEAL AGREEMENTS 



The supply of fur seal furs for the world market now comes ahnost entirely from 

 three small island groups of the north Pacific, where this resource has been main- 

 tained as a result of effective international action. The International Fur Seal Con- 

 vention negotiated in 1911 was the first successful international action to restore 

 and maintain the productivity of a major high-seas aquatic resource. These island 

 groups are the Pribilofs of the Bering Sea, which furnish the major portion of the 

 current supply, the Commander Islands off Kamchatka, and Robben Island off the 

 southern part of Sakhalin Island. 



In the latter half of the 19th century, it became clear that extensive killing of seals 

 at sea — pelagic seaUng — was depleting the north Pacific seal herds and threatening 

 their survival. Numerous efforts were made to bring the nations bordering the 

 north Pacific together in a joint effort to prevent the destruction of the herds and 

 ensure the preservation of the valuable industry founded upon them. It was not 

 until 1911, however, that the United States, Japan, Russia, and Great Britain (on 

 behalf of Canada) entered into an agreement for the protection of the seals. 



Outstanding features of this agreement were the prohibition of pelagic sealing, 

 provision for regulated kiUing on the rookeries, and provision for the sharing of the 

 proceeds from annual kiUings among the nations party to the agreement. The agree- 

 ment did not provide for joint research. Within a relatively short time the beneficial 

 effects of the limitation on killing began to manifest themselves. The downward 

 trend in the seal population reversed itself and by 1916 the population had approxi- 

 mately doubled. By the 1930's, the Pribilof herd had increased to approximately 

 H million individuals. 



This convention operated successfully until October 1940, when the Japanese 

 Government notified the other signatories to the convention of its intention to 

 terminate the convention one year thereafter. In its opinion the fur seals of the north 

 Pacific had grown so numerous that the objective of the convention, the protection 

 of fur seals, had been achieved and, on the other hand, the direct and indirect damage 

 inflicted by the fur seals on the fishing industry of Japan was proving more and more 

 serious. Since no new agreement was reached, the convention was terminated on the 

 23rd of October 1941. 



Protection of fur seals was continued through an agreement between the United 

 States and Canada (1942) and the unilateral action of the Government of the U.S.S.R., 

 and later of the Government of Japan after the Japanese Treaty of Peace. The 

 governments of Japan, the U.S.S.R., and Canada have very recently accepted the 

 invitation of the U.S. Government to a conference in Washmgton. D.C.. late in 

 November 1955, to negotiate a new fur seal convention. 



PACIFIC HALIBUT CONVENTION 



The Hahbut Convention between the United States and Canada, negotiated in 

 1923 to provide for the conservation of halibut of the northeastern Pacific Ocean. 

 was the first successful attempt involving joint action in research, and mternat.onal 



