THE ECONOMICS OF WHALING 51 



Here the percentage captured by the whalers was 

 as follows: 



IQIO-II 1911-12 1912-13 1913-14 1914-15 1915-16 1916-17 1917-18 

 96-8 90-9 53-8 18-6 15-6 22-9 9-3 2-5 



Similarly the Fin-whale has recently shown a 

 decline : 



1.8 5-3 4i-2 557 36-5 33-6 37'4 29-3 



So that the Blue Whale has now become the 

 most important : 



1-4 47 5-i 25-6 47-8 43-5 53-3 68-2 



The actual numbers of Humpbacks captured in 

 the South Georgia whaling season from October to 

 March has declined from 5,299 in 1910-11, to 335 in 

 1916-17; the Finner from 1,852 in 1915-16, to 

 1,345 in 1916-17 ; while the number of Blue Whales 

 captured has increased from 76 in 1910-11 to 2,398 

 in 1915-16, and 1,920 in 1916-17. Not only was 

 the Humpback hunted on its feeding migration to 

 Antarctic waters, but it was also extensively captured 

 by whalers off the African coast when engaged in 

 reproduction. 



It is convenient to consider here the various 

 legislative enactments and orders which have been 

 made by the maritime nations concerned to prevent 

 undue destruction and the gradual extermination of 

 whales. Most of the older enactments had for their 

 object the regulation of the fishery in the interest of 

 the seamen of the country making the enactment. 

 For instance, the charters, resolutions, placards, 

 and regulations relating to whaling in the Groot 



