688 MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



it built up its population to some extent and then suffered depletion once more 

 in the early 20th century when it became necessary to protect it by international 

 law. Now it is increasing again, and is confined in range to the coastal waters of 

 the North Pacific, from Lower California to Alaska, and from Korea to the Arctic 

 Ocean on the west. 



Family Balaenidae: Bowheads and right whales 



Neobalaena margirmta (the pygiTiy right whale). This small and rare species 

 of balaenid is found in Antarctic waters only, and forms no part of any whaling 

 industry, past or present. 



Balaena (or Eubalaena) glacialis and aiistralis (the right whale of northern 

 and southern waters) was once the famous whale of the industry. It was consid- 

 ered the "right" whale to take for its products of oil and long whalebone. So faith- 

 fully did the whalers follow this precept that the supply was soon exhausted. 

 The history of the right whale is one of sad depletion of the European grounds, 

 the North Atlantic grounds, the southern seas, and the Kodiak and Japanese 

 giounds. Today the species receives complete protection under international law, 

 and is beginning to be seen again in some of its former haunts. It attains 55 feet 

 or more in length. 



Balaena mysticetus (the bowhead, Arctic right whale, Greenland whale, etc.) 

 is an Arctic cousin of the right whale, difi^ering slightly in the greater size of the 

 head, longer baleen, and some other details. Like the southern right whale it 

 suffered the sledgehammer blows of the whaling industry; being in more restricted 

 waters in summer and of more reduced general range it perhaps fared the worst. 

 It is now also covered by international protection, and is increasing slowly in the 

 Bering-Arctic and the Greenland-Canadian Arctic. Its maximum size is about 55 

 or 60 feet. 



This brief survey of the Cetacea shows that formerly 4 species held the atten- 

 tion of the whalers of the world: right, bowhead, gray, and sperm. All but the 

 gray were floaters, and could be taken with hand harpoon and line from the 

 rowed whaleboat. The grays were taken close inshore where they could be re- 

 covered after sinking. Some humpbacks were also taken in similar fashion. 



The smaller species, common porpoise, blackfish (pilot whale), bottlenose 

 dolphin, common dolphin, white whale, narwhal, and bottlenose whale, were 

 taken in varying numbers from place to place over the world. Today there is a 

 fishery for all of the above, with the blackfish, white whale, and bottlenose whale 

 taking the brunt of the effort. 



From 1865 to 1920 the use of the harpoon cannon, steam whale-catcher, and 

 later the whale factory ship enabled the whalers to fish for the finners and hump- 

 back. With the opening of the southern waters, particularly the pelagic Antarctic 

 field, the harvest for these whalers has been fantastic; it is now tapering off some- 

 what, partially as a result of economic factors in the oil business and partially 

 on account of the decline of whales. The sperm whale, after recovering well in 

 the last 75 years, is again hunted intensively, especially in the grounds off western 

 South America and in the sub-Antarctic. The industry is attempting to utilize 

 more of the whale, but oil is still the most profitable product and reflects the 

 success or failure of the operations. Meanwhile, meat, meat meal, bone meal, 

 frozen glands, meat extract, liver oil, etc., are marketed along with the ofl. The 



