lii 



Thirty-second Annual Report 



It will bo observed that while the catch fluctuated considerably 

 in the years 1903 to 1909, it appears to have reached its culminating 

 point in the latter year, since when there has been a continuous and 

 rapid decline which has been barely stemmed by the employment of 

 tw^o additional steamers during the year under review. Had the 

 additional vessels not been employed the catch, on the basis of the 

 preceding year's figures, would have fallen to 369. The figures as 

 to the average catch per steamer are equally significant, those for 

 1913 being the second lowest of the series. 



The evidence furnished by this table as to the depletion of the 

 stock is also supported by the fact that the average size of the whales 

 taken is declining year by year. Thus only 22 of 70 feet and upwards 

 in length were captured during the year under review^ as against 62 

 in 1910 and 73 in 1909, from which it may be inferred that w^hales are 

 being taken in increasing numbers before attaining their full growth . 



Fui'ther corroboration is afforded by the fact that fewer voyages 

 are made each season, not, as might perhaps be supposed, o^ving to 

 any slackening of energy on the part of the whalers, but to the in- 

 creasing length of time which is spent at sea before a w^hale is sighted. 



It should be stated, however, that the falling off in the catch is 

 to a certain extent attributed by the Norwegians themselves to the 

 employment of less skilful gunners, the most expert of whom are now 

 in the Antarctic, although having regard to the ever-increasing intensity 

 of whs ling operations in every quarter of the globe, it is not surprising 

 that the stock should shows signs of diminution. 



The number, species, and sex of the whales taken in 1913 are 

 show^n in the following table : — 



Species. 



Male. 



Female. 



Total 

 1913. 



Total 

 1912. 



Finner {Balaenoptera nmscuJus) 



. 136 



123 



259 



292 



Sei(B. Borealis) 



. 71: 



85 



159 



108 



Sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) 



8 





8 



9 



Bottlenose (Hyperoodon) . 



4 



3 



7 



8 



Blue (B. Sibhaldi) . . 



2 





2 



12 



Northcaper {Balaena Biscayensis) 





1 



1 



11 



Humpback (Megaptera) . 



1 





1 





Totals .... 



. 225 



212 



437 



440 



Finner and Sei whales were again the mainstay of the industry, 

 and if it w^ere not for these species, indeed, it w^ould not be worth 

 pursuing, at all events in Scottish waters. Every species, it will be 

 observed, shoAvs a decline except the Sei whale, w^hich for some reason 

 — probably, as it is the typical plankton-feeding whale, because those 

 organisms were unusually abundant — visited Shetland waters in 

 exceptional numbers dui'ing the summer of 1913, but for which 

 circumstance the catch would have been a very indifferent one. The 

 " fish " were, as a rule, in somewhat poor condition, but the soHtary 

 Northcaper taken was a notable exception. This specimen pelded 

 120 barrels of oil, which realised about £300 ; and if to this be added 

 the proceeds of about 6 cwts. of right whale bone, the current price 

 of which w^as about £1100 per ton, the value of this particular whale 

 w^il! be readily appreciated. 



