132 COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



from which, without counting" the pelagic catch proper, 

 about 3,000 skins are taken each year by the Indians ven- 

 turing to sea in their dug-out canoes, and, therefore, at no 



great distance from hind? 

 153 Withoutendeavouringtocite numerous authorities 



on the damage done to the food fishes by seals, the 

 following may be quoted as examples of this well-understood 

 fact: 



BALTIC. 



J Appendix, vol. Thc fisheries of Sleswick-Holstein, on the Baltic, in 1887, 

 ' ^' ' ■ were so damaged by seals that it was feared they might 



be absolutely ruined, and measures had to be taken to 



destroy the seals. 



ICELAND. 



Ibid. Ill Iceland so much damage has been done to the salmon 



fisheries that special statutory provisions have been intro- 

 duced, enabling persons "to shoot or frighten " seals coming 

 near the fisheries. 



DENMARK. 



Ibid. In Denmark, in order to save the fishing industry, 



rewards have been ottered for each seal killed. 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



Ibid. ^^^ b^y fishing in Essex, Massachusetts, in 1892, was so 



seriously injured by seals that the authorities offered a 

 reward of 1 dollar for each seal killed. 



United States Dr. Alfred Ncliriug, Profcssor of Zoology ill the Royal 

 vori', ^421!'"^'''' Agricultural College of Berlin, likewise in a letter addressed 

 to Dr. Merriam, and in reply to his " Circular letter" (else- 

 where referred to) speaks with approval of the pursuit of 

 the fur-seal where, in its winter quarters, it is destructive 

 to the fisheries. 



ACTUAL QUANTITY OF FISH CONSUMED. 



With special reference to the destruction of food fishes 

 caused by the fur-seal of the North Pacific, Mr. H. W. 

 Elliott states his belief that a full-grown male seal con- 

 sumes per diem about 40 lbs. of fish, adult females at least 

 10 lbs. or 12 lbs., and the rapidly growing pups or young 

 bachelors not much, if any, less. He adds : 



ELLIOTT'S ESTIMATE 6,000,000 TONS PER ANNUM. 



United States Therefore, this great body of 4,000,000 or 5,000,000 ht-arty active 

 Censu-s Report, animals which we know on the seal islands, mu.st consnme an enor- 

 ^' ' nious amount of such food every year. They cannot average less than 



10 lbs. of fish each per diem, whicli gives the consumption, as exhib- 

 ited by their appetite, of over 6,000,000 tons of fish everij year. 



***** 



note).' ■ * °° ■ If the seals can get double the quantity which I credit them with 

 above, startling as it seems, still I tirmly believe that they eat it 

 every year. An adequate realization by iclithyologists and fishermen 

 as to what havoc the fur-seal hosts are annually making among the 

 cod, herring, and salmon of the north-west coast and Alaska would 

 discoucert and astonish thorn. 



