THE PRIBILOF FUR SEAL HERD AND THE 

 PROSPECTS FOR ITS INCREASE 



By C. H. Townsend 



After more than twenty years of active operation,' the 

 pelagic sealing industry has been brought to an end, as the 

 result of an international conference which has been held at 

 the Department of State. The convention has been signed 

 by representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Rus- 

 sia and Japan, and the Senate of the United States has 

 ratified it. 



The contracting parties have agreed to prohibit their 

 vessels from engaging in pelagic sealing and to close their 

 ports against all vessels connected in any way with the opera- 

 tions of pelagic sealing. It is not necessary in this connection 

 to go into the details of the seventeen articles of the conven- 

 tion, which is to continue in force for a period of fifteen 

 years from December 15, 1911. 



The total loss of seals from the North Pacific herds 

 through pelagic sealing since its inception may be placed at 

 about three millions. As a large proportion of this catch 

 consisted of females, the disastrous effect upon the breeding 

 stock of the Pribilof and Commander Islands will be readily 

 appreciated. 



The fur seal industry, both at sea and on land, was for 

 many years the subject of almost continuous international 

 controversy, and the Pribilof herd especially has been studied 

 long and carefully by commissions selected chiefly from the 

 ranks of British and American naturalists. 



The facts respecting the fur seal's habits, migrations, 

 food, breeding, growth, age, numbers, anatomy, enemies, 

 etc., as arrived at by the commissions appointed to study 

 the subject in general, afloat and ashore, cannot reasonably 



271 



