Figure 20. — Tenyu Maru , Japanese vessel used for pelagic fur seal research in 1967. 



gauge shotguns loaded with 00 buckshot. The 

 chief hunter stood forwardmost on the bow 

 platform; the second hunter stood behind him 

 on the side nearest the seal. 



Arm signals to the helmsman (usually by 

 the lookout standing behind the gunners) di- 

 rected the movement of the vessel during the 

 hunting (fig. 23). The helmsman in turn signaled 

 the engineroom for changes in speed and in the 

 forward-reverse movement of the vessel. 

 The hunters had to be surefooted, since the 

 shin-high railing on the bow platform offered 

 little protectionfor anyone who lost his balance. 

 In addition, vibration of the engine shook the 

 bow platform moderately to violently and made 

 shooting very difficult. 



A 5.5-m. (18-foot) bamboo pole with a 4- 

 prong gaff on one end and a line attached to 

 the other was used to recover seals at sea. 

 The retrieving pole was first thrown over 

 the seal and then dragged over it to hook 

 into the skin. The speed of the vessel was 

 usually reduced during recovery of a seal. 



The long experience of the crew working as 

 a unit has contributed much to the successful 

 use of these vessels for pelagic sealing. 

 Except in 1966, the Hachiman Maru has been 

 chartered for fur seal research each year 



since I960. The Tenyu Maru has been chartered 

 each year since 1961. 



While the U.S. biologist was aboard the 

 Tenyu Maru from 23 April to 9 May, 599 

 seals were sighted, 123 were collected, 11 

 were killed and lost, and 1 was wounded and 

 lost (table 35). The largest number of seals 

 sighted from this vessel in a day was 260 on 

 4 May (219 were sighted between 9:00 a.m. 

 and 1:00 p.m.) between lat. 40°46' N., long. 

 143°09' E. and lat. 40°33' N., long. 142°34' E. 

 No attempt was made to collect seals during 

 this period. Four seals were collected before 

 9:00 a.m. and eight seals were taken after 

 3:20 p.m. Because seals feed at night or at 

 dusk, they were usually collected early or 

 late in the day to increase the probability of 

 finding food in the stomachs. 



The largest collection observed was on 

 9 May when 43 seals were taken. Most were 

 collected by midday from Hachinohe east to lat. 

 40°35' N., long. 142°39' E. As many seals 

 as possible were collected because the vessel 

 was scheduled to return to Ozuchi that night. 

 Seal carcasses could be sold in Ozuchi for 

 experimental medicinal and cosmetic products. 



One hundred and seven seals were taken 

 with 12-gauge shotguns loaded with 00 buckshot 



48 



