376 REPORTS OF BERING SEA COMMISSION. 



Impossible t o in maintaining a protected zone about the is- 



maiutaiu a zone. 



lands, the radius of which shall be comparatively 

 small, will be clear to all who know the condi- 

 tions prevailing in that part of the world. There 

 is almost constant cloudiness and dense fog, and 

 it is difficult for a vessel to know her own loca- 

 tion within reasonable limits after having cruised 

 about for a short time. The margin of uncer- 

 tainty would be nearly as wide as the zone itself. 

 Often the navigator receives his first information 

 regarding the nearness to the islands by hearing 

 the cries of the seals on the rookeries, which he 

 can not see. Under such circumstances few 

 arrests would be made of trespassing vessels that 

 could not make a plausible plea in self-defense. 

 In most cases it would be difficult to prove that 

 the sealer was actually within the forbidden area. 



A close season. A morc reasonable proposition is that involving 

 a close time. A regulation fixing dates between 

 which pelagic sealing would be everywhere for- 

 bidden would b3 of easy execution compared 



But it must prac- with the zoual restrictions. But, as already 



tically prohibit. "^ 



stated, to be of value it must be of such a nature 

 as to practically prohibit the taking of seals at 

 sea. 

 other remedies Other remedies have been proposed, but when 



of uo avail. 



examined they are found to have the vital defect 

 of licensing or legitnnatizing the evil practice 



