HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION 35 



animal. Only when the heart itself is paralysed does the animal die, so 

 that it is quite possible that this method is by no means as humane as 

 UFAW originally thought. Even so, Hector Whaling Ltd, a British 

 company, continued tests with an advanced type of electric harpoon 

 during 1956-7, and other companies have carried out (so far unsuccessful) 

 tests, using a harpoon grenade containing compressed carbon dioxide, 

 whereby the animals are meant to be killed c^uickly, wliile being inflated 

 simultaneously.^ 



However, it is very difficult to adapt complicated modern instruments 

 to whaling needs. Thus the bones are still cut up by somewhat primitive 

 steam saws before they disappear into the boilers, a method which has 

 proved the safest of all, and safety is a prerequisite for an industry where 

 every interruption may lead to disastrous losses. 



Southern whaling is no longer restricted to South Georgia, but takes 

 place right round the Antarctic Ocean. For a long time, the waters south 

 of the Pacific were prohibited territory, but in 1955 the prohibition was 

 lifted to afford some measure of relief to other hunting grounds. Although 

 the area in question is not very large and though it is far removed from 

 suitable harbours, ships moved in right away, amongst them Holland's 

 Willem Barendsz II, then on her maiden voyage. In some sectors, at least, they 

 came across a good number of whales, and the South Pacific has therefore 

 been revisited by many whalers since (1956-9). 



During the first half of the twentieth century whaling was a very 

 lucrative trade indeed, and fleets became bigger and bigger, particularly 

 in the thirties. The Norwegians were the first to build up the industry, but 

 Britain, South Africa, Japan, Panama, Germany, the united States and 

 Chile also played an important part. Whaling in the last three countries 

 fell off during the Second W^orld War. Since 1945 the Soviet Union and 

 Holland have also joined in, and of the twenty-two factory ships which 

 sailed to the Antarctic in the season 1 960-1, nine were Norwegian, two 

 were British, seven were Japanese, one was Dutch and three were Russian. 

 After the war, Japan increased her Antarctic whaling fleet from two to 

 seven ships, and the second and third Russian mother-ships made their 

 maiden voyage in the winter of 1959-60 and 1960-1. It is believed that 

 Russia is increasing the number of whaling expeditions as well. 



Since the overall annual catch of all whaling fleets is limited by inter- 

 national agreement, Antarctic competition has become extremely keen. 

 Every country tries to get the lion's share of the total quota, with the 

 consequent construction of ever-greater ships accompanied by the greatest 



'In 1959 a special international committee set up by the International Whaling 

 Commission discussed at length the different methods of humane killing of whales. Some 

 progress with regard to electrocution was made by exchange of information and VV. H. 

 Dawbin reported successful electrocution by New Zealand's Humpback whalers. 



