PELAGIC SEALING. 



227 



In 1893 a 30-mile protected zone was established for the purpose of preventing raids 

 on the islands. During that season about 12,000 seals were taken just outside this 

 limit. Since then the catch of seals about the Commander Islands has decreased, the 

 catch for 1897 being only 1,382. 



The annual average per vessel for the Canadian, Japanese, and United States 

 sealing fleets in all waters during recent years has been as follows : ' 



VESSELS, BOATS, AND METHODS OF HUNTI^G. 



The vessels employed for pelagic sealing are schooners ranging in size from less 

 than 20 tons to 150 tons, the average size being 60 or 70 tons. The vessels of less 

 than 20 tons are usually not employed elsewhere than on the sealing grounds off 

 Washington and British Columbia, and are frequently owned and manned by Indians. 



The greater part of the sealing fleet sails from Victoria, British Columbia, and the 

 crews are made up chiefly of British Columbia Indians, who hunt in canoes. The 

 largest vessels carry as many as 18 canoes, the number carried being dependent on 

 the size of the vessels. The smaller vessels carry about 8. Where white crews and 

 hunters are employed there are from 6 to 10 boats carried, the larger vessels carrying 

 12 boats. 



Boats are usually manned by three meu and canoes by two. The total number 

 of boats carried by the British Columbia fleet in 1897 was 149 and of canoes 288. The 

 total number of boats carried by the American sealing fleet in 1897 was 62 and ot 

 canoes 67. The total tonnage of the British Columbia sealing fleet in 1897 was 2,708, 

 the number of vessels employed being 41 . During the same season there were 17 

 vessels in the American sealing fleet, with a total tonnage of 898. The total number 

 of whites carried by the British Columbia fleet in 1897 was 495 and of Indians 587, 

 the American fleet carrying 235 whites and 182 Indians. 



In 1885 the American vessels engaged in sealing numbered 36, with a total 

 tonnage of 2,263. The total value of the vessels was $125,050, the value of the 

 hunting boats, outfit, and provisions amounting to $74,779 more. The value of the 

 catch for this year was $209,232. 



' These figures do not include the catch made hy Japanese and Indian canoes hunting from coast 

 villages. 



