WHALE MARKING 



261 



MOVEMENTS OF FIN WHALES 

 As explained above, the number of Fin whales marked very greatly exceeds that of 

 Blue whales, and the actual number of marks returned from Fin whales is much larger 

 than the recoveries from Blues, although the percentage return is considerably smaller. 

 The Blue whale is the chief quarry of the Antarctic whalers and is sought out by them in 

 decided preference to Fins; especially has this been so since the commencement of 

 pelagic fishing. Although the Fin whale is, away from the very edge of the pack-ice 

 itself, usually far commoner, the catch of Blue whales in Antarctic waters has from 1927- 

 28 to 1936-37 exceeded, and often greatly exceeded, that of Fin whales. In 1937-38 this 

 position was markedly reversed, and although the number of Blue whales taken was 

 even greater than in the previous season the Fin whale catch far exceeded that of any 

 former season, doubling the highest preceding figure. In 1938-39 this figure was not 

 maintained, but the Fin whale catch remained very high and well above that of Blue 

 whales. It does seem, taking these two sets of facts together, that the Fin whale stock is, 

 in comparison with the Blue whale stock, larger than the figures of the catches suggest, 

 and possibly larger than has hitherto been realized. A total of 3915 Fin whales is 

 estimated to have been marked, and of these 118 have been reported as captured 

 (Table III). 



TABLE III 



Marked Fin wholes killed in each group 



Around South Georgia 1804 Fin whales have been marked by the hired whale-catchers 

 operating from there, and sixty-six of these have been captured, seventeen the same 

 season as they were marked. A large proportion of these Fin whales marked from South 

 Georgia was found around the Shag Rocks, well over 600 having been marked there 

 within a radius of seventy miles. Not one of these has been taken by the South Georgia 

 whalers during the same season as marked. This clearly shows that the Fin whales 

 passing the Shag Rocks during the time of the season when marking was accomplished 

 have then no easterly component of any importance in their movement. 



