ABSOLUTE PROHIBITION OF PELAGIC SEALING. 511 



lands, and lie believes the same to be true. Deponent further says that 

 this opinion is based upon the assumption that the present restriction 

 imposed by Russia and the United States on the killing of seals in their 

 respective islands are to be maintained, otherwise it wen Id be neces- 

 sary to impose such restrictions as well as to prohibit pelagic sealing in 

 order to preserve the herds. 



I am, therefore, of the opinion that pelagic sealing should be abso- 

 lutely prohibited both in Bering Sea and the 

 North Pacific Ocean. If this is done and a few Chas. J. Goff,p. 113. 

 years are allowed the seal herd to recover from 



the enormous slaughter of the past seven years, the Pribilof Islands 

 will produce their 100,000 skins as heretofore for an indefinite period. 



We think that for the proper preservation of Meoli Grcyoroff et al., 

 the fur-seal species, all pelagic hunting should be ■?• 234, 

 stopped absolutely. 



It is my opinion, that for the proper preservation of fur-seal life all 

 pelagic hunting should be prohibited and stopped 

 absolutely, as 1 think the female seal should have ^- J- Guild, p. 232. 

 access to a rookery in order safely to deliver her 

 young. 



I think that a close season at the Pribilof Islands for several years 

 and the absolute suppression of pelagic sealing 



will cause the fur-seal species, or such of them as Chas. J. Hague, p. 208. 

 frequent the Pribilof Islands, to increase, though 

 slowly, to their former numbers. 



Unless [pelagic hunting is] discontinued they J> M. Hays, p. 27. 

 will soon become so nearly extinct as to be worth- 

 less for commercial purposes. 



I firmly believe that the fur-seal industry at the Pribilof Islands can 

 be saved from destruction only by a total prohi- 

 tion against killing seals not only in the waters m. a. Healy,p. 28. 

 of the Bering Sea but also during their annual 

 immigration northward in the Pacific Ocean. 



This conclusion is based upon the well-known fact that the mother 

 seals are slaughtered by the thousands in the North Pacific while on 

 their way to the islands to give birth to their youug, and extinction 

 must necessarily come to any species of animal where the female is con- 

 tinually hunted and killed during the period required for gestation and 

 rearing of hef young; as now practiced there is no respite to the female 

 seal from the relentless pursuit of the seal hunters, for the schooners 

 close their season with the departure of the seals from the northern 

 sea, and then return home, refit immediately and start out upon a new 

 voyage in February or March, commencing upon the coast of California, 

 Oregon, and Washington, following the seals northward as the season 

 advances into the Bering Sea. 



It is my belief that in order to preserve fur-seal life from extermina 

 tion all pelagic hunting should be stopped and „ 



Bering Sea Closed. Gorman Hodgson, p. bG8. 



