The Fur Seal Controversy 
In 1911 by a multilateral agreement the United States, Great 
Britain, Russia and Japan agreed to protect the fur seals of the North 
Pacific. These animals establish rookeries on the Pribilof Islands of 
the United States, the Russian-owned Commander Islands and the Japanese- 
owned Kaihyoto Island (Robben or Seal Island) during the summer months 
but migrate into more southerly waters to winter grounds. Although 
there are no breeding grounds in British territory nationals of Canada 
had long been interested in pelagic sealing. 
Under the terms of this convention pelagic sealing was forbidden 
in ‘the Pacific area north of the 30th parallel including the Bering, 
Okhotsk and Japan Seas. The regulation of hunting on its islands was 
left to each government and the hides taken on these islands, or the 
revenue from them, was shared with the other nations. 14 / The conserva¬ 
tion measures established by this convention rehabilitated the stock of 
fur seals in the North Pacific, as indicated by the Pribilof Island herd, 
the largest herd, which increased from 133,600 in 1911 to 2,338,312 in 
1939. 15/ 
14/ Both Great Britain and Japan were to receive $200,000 each and 15 
percent of the catch of the United States and of Russia. Japan was to 
deliver 10 percent of its catch to the United States, Russia and Great 
Britain and similarly, if any seals frequented the shores of waters 
under the jurisdiction of Great Britain, 10 percent of those seals were 
to be delivered to each of the other parties. 
15 / The much smaller Japanese and Soviet herds are estimated at about 
30,000 and 20,000 respectively. ( Japan’s Fisheries Industry, 1939 —• 
Special issue of Japan Times and Mail, 1939). 
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