30 THE Kl'R SEALS OF THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS. 



first by the Indians ott' the Northwest Coast, going out in their canoes to capture the 

 seals in the course of their winter uiigiatiou. The number of animals so taken was 

 at first merely nominal, and it was not until about the year 1879, when schooners were 

 first introduced to transport the canoes to their tield of operations and care for them 

 there, that the industry began to make itself felt on tlie herd. The rise of pelagic 

 sealing thereafter was rapid, and in ISSO it was extended into Bering iSea. From 

 this time on the killing at sea steadily increased, and as the bulk of the catch was 

 composed of females the operations of pelagic sealing necessarily produced an 

 injurious eli'ect on the herd, which disclosed itself first in the diminished product of the 

 hauling grounds already noted. 



THE EXTENSION OF SEALING TO BERING SEA 



At the first entry of sealing vessels into Bering Sea the I'uited States acted on 

 the precedent established by Eussia in the Tkase of lS'2i, seized a number of the 

 sealing vessels and confiscated them. Pelagic sealing being largely a Canadian 

 industry, this action at once started a controversy with Great Britain which extended 

 over the period from ISSG to 1890. Meantime the injurious ertect of the slaughter of 

 large numbers of females was more and more evideut in the herd, until in 181)0 it became 

 alarming, the number of killable seals having decreased to one fifth the usual number. 



From the discussion of the seizures of Canadian vessels and the eftbrts of the 

 United States to secure protection to its fur-seal herd, resulted a treaty, in the spring 

 of 1892, remanding the whole matter to the consideration of a tribunal of arbitration 

 which should pass upon the legal questions involved, and if need be i>rovide such 

 measures as were necessary for the proper protection and jireservation of the herd. 

 As a basis for such action, provision was made for a thorough investigation of the 

 condition of the herd by a joint commission of experts. 



THE TRIBUNAL OF ARBITRATION. 



This Tribunal of Arbitration met at Paris in the summer of 1893, and as a result 

 of its labors a set of regulations was formulated, the essential features of which 

 were the establishment of a closed zone of 00 miles in Bering Sea about the islands 

 and a closed season, from May 1 to August 1, within which all sealing was prohibited. 



THE REGULATIONS. 



During the pendency of the deliberations of the Tribunal, pelagic sealing was in 

 part suspended. The season of 1894 witnessed the first operations of the regulations, 

 and the resumption of pelagic sealing under them showed an increased catch over the 

 unrestricted killing of 1891. The United States became convinced at the close of the 

 first season that the regulations were inadequate. A protest was entered and Great 

 Britain was asked to consider their immediate revision. At the close of each subse- 

 quent season this protest and request were again renewed. Failing to obtain such 

 reconsideration the United States early in 189G accepted the ])roposal of Great 

 Britain to prepare for a reexamination of the regulations at the end of the five-year 

 trial period, by subjecting the whole question to independent scientific investigation 

 on the part of the two Governments. The present report is the outcome of this 

 investigation so far as the United States is concerned. 



