FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA, 1909. 
17 
Such killing as was done in 1909 was conducted strictly in accord- 
ance with law and regulations. The Government prescribed a 
quota of 15,000 for the lessee and virtually said: “After we have 
secured our breeding reserve, you are allowed to kill every seal on 
the hauling grounds that may be taken under existing law and regu- 
lations until you get your quota. We will see that you do not kill 
our breeding reserve; the law prohibits your killing females or seals 
under 1 year of age, and if you take skins weighing less than 5 or 
more than 8-J pounds we will not allow you to ship them, but will 
deduct them from the quota you would otherwise be allowed to 
ship.” This was the exact situation in 1909, and in the killing no 
law or regulation was disregarded. During the lessee’s killing season 
only 1 skin on St. Paul Island and 4 on St. George Island were taken 
contrary to regulations out of a total of over 12,000, and these seals 
were killed not designedly, but through accident. 
From the foregoing it can be summed up: First, that every law 
and regulation safeguarding killing in 1909 was faithfully enforced; 
second, that one seal out of every three driven by the lessee in that 
year was released; and, third, that before any killing by the lessee 
was allowed a breeding reservation equal to 13 per cent of the 
quota was created and carefully guarded from slaughter. This, in 
my opinion, is sufficient evidence to convince even the skeptical that 
any charge of irregularity concerning the killing in 1909 can not be 
substantiated. 
It is foolish to curtail the killing of bachelors on land while the 
islands are surrounded by a large fleet of pelagic schooners, hardly 
3 miles offshore, ready to kill every seal that leaves the rookeries 
to go to sea. After providing an ample breeding reserve, it is good 
policy to kill every seal that may be killed with due regard to the 
safety of the herd. Restriction of killing on land should be discussed 
only after sea killing is stopped. 
Personally I am in favor of killing on land even closer than 66 per 
cent, and of continuing such close killing until either the seals are 
reduced to & small number or the question of pelagic sealing is settled 
favorably. 
MAINTENANCE OF QUOTA. 
ANNUAL CATCHES SINCE 1903. 
Since 1904 the annual quota of skins has been maintained at 
approximately 15,000. From this the natural assumption would be 
that the breeding herd of females has not diminished during this 
period, as otherwise the stock of bachelors would have decreased 
coincidently. 
It is generally accepted that the sexes of seals are born in equal 
numbers. If the herd of bachelors has remained stable without 
