374 REPORTS OF BERING SEA COMMISSION. 



Decrease of herd of tlieir effects Oil tliG Seal herd, we feel justified 



caused by pelagic 



sealing. in declaring oiir belief that the great diminution 



in the number of seals on and frequenting the 

 Pribilof Islands, which has been observed during 

 the past few years, must be attributed to the evil 

 efi*ects of pelagic sealing. 

 Proini)itiou of HavinsT found the source of the evil, it is easy 



pelaiiic sealiug c5 ' j 



uecessary. ^q determine the remedy. The principal meas- 



ure necessary for the protection and preservation 

 of seal life in Bering Sea is one which must prac- 

 tically prohibit pelagic sealing. Argument on 

 this point is unnecessary if we have succeeded 

 in establishing the propositions already laid down 

 in this report. It may be worth while, however, 

 to refer briefly to one or two plans, restrictive as 

 to time and place, which have been offered as a 

 Limited protec- solutiou of tliis problem. It is evident that any 



tiou inadetxuate. . -, ^. 



scheme that contemplates continued license to 

 pelagic sealing, even in a much restricted form, 

 is not the los^ical outcome of the facts and cir- 

 cumstances as they exist to-day, and must fall 

 short of accomplishing the desired result. 

 A zone of pro!) i- Amoiig other plans that have been suggested, 



bitiou inadeqnate. 



is the establishment of a zone surrounding the 

 islands outside of which pelagic sealing might be 

 allowed and inside of which no sealing vessels 

 should be permitted to go. This plan has the 

 advantage of being satisfactory, if properly 



