306 U.S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



SEALING PRIVILEGES ACCORDED ABORIGINES 



Under the provisions of the North Pacific Sealing Convention of 

 July 7, 1911, Indians and other aborigines dwelling on the coasts of 

 the waters designated by the convention may take fur-seal skins 

 under limited conditions. In 1933 there were taken and duly authen- 

 ticated by officials of the respective Governments 2,076 fur-seal skins, 

 of which 92 were taken by Indians under the jurisdiction of the 

 United States, and 1,984 by Indians of Canada. The details are as 

 follows : 



Washmgfo7i. — Twenty-nine sealskins taken by Indians of Wash- 

 ington were authenticated. Of these, 17 were from male seals and 12 

 from females. The skins were taken by Indians of La Push and 

 Neah Bay in the months from March to May, inclusive, and were 

 authenticated by John B. Holm, special agent of the Bureau, and by 

 Raymond H. I3itney, superintendent of the Neah Bay Indian 

 Agency, Neah Bay, Wash. 



Alaska. — Sixty-three sealskins taken by natives of Sitka were 

 authenticated by Bureau employees. Of these skins, 20 were from 

 male seals and 43 from females. The seals were taken in the waters 

 off Biorka Island in the months of May and June. 



British Columhia. — An official report received by the Bureau 

 stated that 1,984 fur-seal skins were taken by Indians of British 

 Columbia in 1933. 



JAPANESE SEALSKINS DELIVERED TO THE UNITED STATES 



The treaty of July 7, 1911, for the protection of the fur seals of the 

 North Pacific Ocean provides that the United States shall receive 10 

 percent of the fur-seal skins taken annually from the Japanese herd. 

 In accordance with that provision the United States received in De- 

 cember 1933 from Japan 170 sealskins as its share of the take on 

 Robben Island in that year. These skins were sent to St. Louis, Mo., 

 to be processed and sold by the Fouke Fur Co. for the account of the 

 Government. 



COMPUTATION OF FUR SEALS, PRIBILOF ISLANDS, 1933 



By Hakry J. Cheistoffers 



In order to ascertain the approximate-number of killable male seals 

 arriving at the Pribilof Islands, an annual estimate is made of the 

 number of animals in the herd, based on observations during the year 

 and on past experience. For the purpose of assuring that sufficient 

 3-year-old males are being reserved for breeding stock, it is necessary 

 to count the number of harem and idle bulls on hand as a means of 

 determining, as accurately as possible, the average harem for the 

 season. It is considered desirable to maintain an average harem of 

 from 40 to 45. Although the opinion is sometimes expressed that an 

 average harem of 50 will answer all requirements, it is believed that 

 this average indicates a shortage of surplus bulls and consequently a 

 shortage of breeders for the late-arriving virgin females. Regardless 

 of the average size of the harem, if there are not enough surplus bulls 



