REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 269 



Art. 4. Whenever it ia found that any person is importing the skins of seals and 

 sea- otters not stamped by tlie officer, as provided in the preceding Article, into any 

 port of the Empire, or is staying in any port of the Empire with such skins laden 

 on board a vessel, or is selling, or attempting to sell, such skin.s in the market, the 

 Customs or police officers shall seize the same, and shall immediately make com- 

 plaint to the competent authorities. 



lUit the raw skins of seals and sea-otters caught within the territory of Russia or 

 of the United States of America, with the permission of the Governments of those 

 countries respectively, may be imported into the Empire, provided the owner or 

 master of the vessel first produces a certificate issued by a comjietent autliority of 

 Russia or the United States, or by a Russian or United States Consul residing in 

 Japan. 



Details of Procedure to carry out the Regulations controlliiKj the Seal and Sea-Otter 



Eauthuj, May 10, ISSS. 



Artii le 1. The open season for seal and sea-otter hunting shall bo from the 15th 

 April to the 31st October in each year. 



Art. 2. The area of hunting shall be all the islands situated eastward of Itrup, and 

 southward of Shimshu, of the Kuriles, and it will be divided into throe sections, and 

 every year only one of these sections shall be opened for hunting. 



The first section includes seven islands, i. e., Itrup, Chirihoi, Butettchelboa [?], 

 Broughton, Raikoke, Mushir, and Chirinkotan. 



The second section includes six islands, i. e., Shimshir, Shiritoi, Ushisbir, Sleto- 

 nepa [?], Rashua, and Matsua. 



The third section includes twelve islands, i. e., Shannekotan, Yekkerma [?], Kar- 

 reukotan, Ounekotan, Anos, Makarushi, Shurenwa [?J, Paramushir, Holt, Cockscar, 

 Araito, and Shimshu. 



Art. 3. When a boat is going out for hunting, her name, tonnage, and the names 

 of the crew shall be reported for inspection to the branch office of seal and sea- 

 otter hunting superintending authorities, either at Nemuro, in the county of Nemuro, 

 or at Shikotan, in the county of Chishima. 



Art. 4. When the branch office of seal and sea-otter hunting superintending 

 authorities find the report mentioned in Article 3 in due form on inspection, it will 

 give to the boat a flag hereinafter shown. 



Art. 5. Any person who wishes to ex])ort and sell the raw hides of his catch shall 

 produce them to the Shikotan branch of the seal and sea-otter hunting superintend- 

 ing authorities, and shall have them stamped. 



Newfoundland. 



In reply to an inquiry as to the Regulations for the protection of the hair-seal 

 fishery in Newlbundland, information to the following effect was kindly furnished 

 by Sir Terence O'Brien, K. C. M. G., the Governor of that Colony. 



The accompanying Acts will furnish the whole legislation on the matter. 



The Regulations extend to all vessels under the British flag, there being no foreign 

 vessels engaged in the fishery. 



The Regulations are acknowledged to be effectual, and were much needed for the 

 preservation of the seals. 



The means taken to enforce the Regulations Avill be found in the Acts above men- 

 tioned, which, it may be added, have no force in extra-territorial waters as such. 



