207 



Xow, of course, Mr. Chairman. I have heard the same thing you 

 have, and this is why we put such a high priority on an effective 

 enforcement system. 



Mr. DixGELL. Is there a mechanism inside the International Whal- 

 ing Commission to deal with this, or has our comitry pushed for any 

 particular mechanism to deal with the problem ? 



Mr. McKerxax. We have been pushing very hard for an effective 

 enforcement system within the Commission. 



Mr. Dix'GELL. Is there any at this time ? 



Mr. McKerxax. I am afraid. Mr. Chairman, that I do not know 

 v\hat you mean. 



There is no Commission police force, but there is an agreement. 

 There will be an agreement by the time the next whaling season rolls 

 around, an agreement which will effectively provide for an exchange 

 of enforcement personnel between the whaling nations at least. We 

 are hopeful that there will be. 



There is every indication there will be. Such an agreement has not 

 been concluded yet, and there are still possible disagreements that 

 might come up at the last minute. 



Mr. DixGELL. "\Miat nations are not participating in the "Ulialing 

 Commission's activities ? 



Mr. McKerxan. There are some minor whaling nations. I think 

 Peru, Chile, Brazil. Spain, and Portugal. 



Mr. DixGELL. How about Korea ? 



Mr. McKerx\\x. Xot to our knowledge. I do not believe Korea is 

 doing any whaling. 



Mr. Dix'^GELL. What is being done to bring these people into line to 

 check the whale and conserve them ? 



Mr. McKerx'ax'. We have been constantly trying to encourage these 

 people to join, and some do attend as observers. 



Mr. Chairman, their catch is minimal. About some 85 percent of 

 the whales at the present time are taken by the large whaling nations, 

 and about 15 percent by quite a large number of others who have very 

 small land whaling stations and take their catch in the close vicinity 

 of their own national territory or waters. 



^Ir. DixGELL. Can you name one specific action taken by our Govern- 

 ment which would bring these i^eople in under the convention for pur- 

 poses of regulating the take ? 



Mr. McKerx'ax'. I cannot recall anything at the present time. 



I would be glad to examine our records and see. 



Mr. DixGELL. The record will te kept oiDen, I find myself hard put 

 to justify somebody taking 15 percent without any controls at all; and 

 we are going out of the business and when we have species on the brink 

 of extinction. 



Mr. McKerx'ax. Xone of these nations have increased their whaling 

 take, and they all have a very small, relatively stable take from local 

 stocks near their own coast. 



Mr. Dix'GEix. Is there any j^elagic sealing going on ? 



Mr. McKerx'ax. Pelagic sealing? 



Mr. Dix'GELL. Yes. 



Mr. McKerx^ax. Of the Pribilof fur seals, no. There is none. 



