liv 



Twenty-ninth Annual Report 



of their operations was necessary, and this eventually led to the 

 passing, in 1907, of the Whale Fisheries (Scotland) Act, snice when 

 the Board have exercised a general control over the industry. 



In all, five companies have been licensed by the Board to engage 

 in whaling, four of which are stationed in Shetland and one in the 

 Hebrides. During the year under review these companies employed 

 11 steamers, of an aggregate tonnage of 417 tons, and a total value of 

 £47,000, or an average tonnage of 38 tons and an average value of 

 £4273 per vessel. As compared with the preceding year's returns, 

 these figures represent an increase of 23 tons in the aggregate tonnage, 

 but a decrease of £1850 in the total value, these variations being 

 explained by the replacement of smaller by larger and more efficient 

 vessels, and by allowances for depreciation. The number of men 

 employed on these vessels was 109 (the same number as in 1909), of 

 whom all but one were foreigners. 



The whaling season lasts from April to September, and during that 

 period in 1910 the vessels engaged made 441 voyages, or an average 

 of 40 voyages per vessel, as compared with a total of 535 voyages, 

 and an average per vessel of 49, in the preceding year. 



In the flensing, boiling, and other operations incidental to the 

 whaling industry which are carried on at the factories, the average 

 number of men engaged during the greater part of the season (May to 

 September) was 287, of whom 126 were British and 161 foreigners, as 

 compared with 129 British and 169 foreigners in 1909. The number 

 fluctuated from month to month, however, the busiest month being 

 July, when 302 men (139 British and 163 foreign) were employed, as 

 compared with a maximum of 315 (145 British and 170 foreign) in 

 the preceding year. 



The following table summarises the foregoing statistics : — 



Men employed 



■j^ r T t ^ Total Men in Factories No. of 

 Steamers Tonnaie engaged on (Maximum Voyages 



steamers, ionnage. Steamers. Number). made. 



£ Brit. Foreign. 



1910 - 11 417 47,000 109 139 163 441 

 1909 - 11 393 48,850 109 145 170 535 



The total number of whales captured was considerably less than 

 in the preceding year, the figures for 1910 and 1909 respectively being 

 615 and 730. The decrease is fully accounted for by the falling off 

 in the number of voyages made (441, as against 535), and, as a matter 

 of fact, the steamers were relatively more successful in 1910 than in 

 1909, the average catch per voyage being slightly greater in the 

 former than in the latter year. The number, species, and sex of the 

 whales captured are shown in the following table : — 



Species. 



Male. 



Female. 



Total 



Total 







1910. 



1909. 



Finner 



198 



183 



381 



432 



Sei - 



97 



93 



190 



223 



Blue 



9 



12 



21 



33 



Humpback 



9 



3 



12 



12 



Northcaper 



5 



4 



9 



21 



Sperm 



1 





1 



7 



Bottlenose 





1 



1 



2 



Total 



319 



296 



615 



730 



