526 ALASKAN HERD. 



I am of the opinion that the Pribilof seal herd should be protected 

 both in Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. 



A. P. Loud,})- 39- II an imaginary line were drawn about the islands, 



30 or 40 miles distant therefrom, within which 

 sealing would be prohibited, this would be little protection to seal life, 

 for all the poachers whom I interviewed acknowledged that they could 

 get more seals in the water near the fishing banks, 30, 40, or more 

 miles from the islands, than in the immediate vicinity thereof, and the 

 hunters on the schooners always complained if they got much nearer 

 than 40 miles of the islands. I am certain that even if sealing were 

 prohibited entirely upon the islands the seal herd would in a short time 

 be exterminated by pelagic sealing, if permitted, because the females — 

 that is, the producers — are the seals principally killed by open-sea seal- 

 ing. 



A zone of 30 miles abont the seal islands within which seal hunting 

 would be prohibited would be valueless in preserv- 



H. H. Mclntyre, p. 46. ing seal life; first, because Bering Sea during the 

 time the seals are there is almost constantly en- 

 veloped in fogs and mist, under cover of which marauding vessels could 

 run in very near to the islands without being observed, if allowed to 

 come as near as 30 miles thereto ; second, because for over 30 miles from 

 said islands great quantities of seals are found coming from and going 

 to the islands from the feeding grounds; and further, because seals 

 found in the waters for 60 to 100 miles about said islands are much 

 bolder and easy of approach than in the open sea, through the proximity 

 of their island home. 



Therefore, in my judgment such a 30- mile zone would be of practically 

 no use as a means of protection to seal life, because of the impossibility 

 to enforce such a law, and because of its inefficiency if enforced. 



If it is the fact, as has been stated, that the herds have now been 



diminished since the killing of female seals upon 



Geo. Bice, p. 574. the sea began, as to which deponent has no 



knowledge, he should say that it would at least 



be reasonable to prohibit the killing of seals absolutely within the area 



which may be described as the feeding grounds around the island. 



Pelagic sealing should be suppressed as far as practicable. A pro- 

 tected zone around theislands, extending 100 miles 



Z.L. Tanner, p. 375. from them would not be effective, even if the 

 limits were respected. 



FOGS IN BERING SEA. 



Page 261 of The Case. 

 (See also "Prohibition of Pelagic Sealing within a Zone.'') 



During the summer months fogs envelop the seal islands or cover 

 the sea a short distance from them a considerable 

 W. C. Allis, p. 99. portion of the time. Sealing vessels are enabled 

 thereby to carry on their work without detection 

 at almost any point, and could and would, I believe, cross any bound- 

 ary line that might be drawn about the islands, and catch seals at will 

 inside of it. I do not think sealing can be, with safety to the rookeries, 

 pern lit ted in any part of the sea. if the sealers are given an inch they 

 will take an ell, and destroy all. 



