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The Protection of Fur Seals in the North Pacific Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Brian Roberts
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Extract

The fur seals of the North Pacific comprise three distinct herds, which do not intermingle in any way, having distinct breeding grounds, feeding grounds, and routes of migration. By far the most important of the three herds is that which resorts to the American Pribilof Islands. This herd breeds upon the islands of St Paul and St George during the summer, and in winter passes down through the channels of the Aleutian Islands into the Pacific Ocean. The migration reaches as far south as the coast of southern California and returns along the west coast of North America. The next herd in importance is that resorting to the Russian Komandorski (Commander) Islands. This breeds upon the islands of Beringa and Medni, passing in winter down along the eastern coast of Japan and returning by the same route. The third herd is resident in the Sea of Okhotsk on the Japanese Robben (Kaihyoto) Island, where a considerable remnant still exists. It formerly occupied other rookeries on four islands of the Japanese (formerly Russian) Kuril (Chishimi) group, but these are now virtually extinct. The migration route of this herd lies in the inland sea of Japan.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 4 , Issue 30 , July 1945 , pp. 264 - 271
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1945

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References

page 264 note 1 Jordan, David Starr and associates, The Fur Seals and Fur Seal Islands of the North Pacific Ocean, Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1898, Parts 1–4.Google Scholar

page 264 note 2 Robben Island is situated off the east coast of Sakhalin Island in lat. 48° 31′ N., long. 144° 44′ E.

page 264 note 3 On 11 February 1945 the Soviet Union, United States and Great Britain agreed that, following the defeat of Japan, the southern part of Sakhalin with its adjacent islands (including Robben) and the Kuril Islands should pass to the Soviet Union.

page 264 note 4 Ireland, Gordon, American Journal of International Law, Vol. 36, No. 3, 1945, pp. 400–424CrossRefGoogle Scholar. For a full list of original sources see Guide to the Diplomatic History of the United States, 1775–1921, Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1935, pp. 453–458.Google Scholar

page 265 note 1 Hart, A. B. (ed.), Extracts from Official Papers Relating to the Bering Sea Controversy, 1790–1892, New York, 1892.Google Scholar

page 265 note 2 American Journal of International Law, Vol. 1, 1907, p. 742.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

page 266 note 1 Parliamentary Paper [C. 7107], “Behring Sea Arbitration”, London, 1893; American Journal of International Law, Supplement to Vol. 6, 1912, pp. 72–78.

page 266 note 2 American Journal of International Law, Vol. 37, No. 4, 1943, pp. 562–584.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

page 267 note 1 American Journal of International Law, Vol. 6, 1912, pp. 233–241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

page 267 note 2 Hayden, Sherman Strong, The International Protection of Wild Life, New York, 1942, p. 132.Google Scholar

page 267 note 3 British and Foreign State Papers, 1892–93, Vol. 85, London, 1899, pp. 1286–1290.Google Scholar

page 268 note 1 Foreign Relations of the United States, 1902, Appendix I, Washington, 1903, p. 440.

page 268 note 2 British and Foreign State Papers, 1911, Vol. 104, London, 1915, pp. 202–205.Google Scholar

page 268 note 3 Ibid., pp. 175–81; American Journal of International Law, Supplement to Vol. 5, 1911, pp. 267–74.

page 269 note 1 Acts were passed in Great Britain on 7 August 1912, in the United States on 24 August 1912 and in Canada on 6 June 1913. After the Russian revolution in November 1917, the Convention was possibly in abeyance as to Russia, but following recognition de jure by Great Britain on 1 February 1924, and by Japan on 20 January 1925, the Soviet Government issued a decree on 2 February 1926 which made the convention applicable to the Soviet Union (Sobr. Zak. i. Rasp. SSSR., 1926, 1, pp. 312 ff.). Although the Convention, and the Anglo-American Treaty which preceded it, speak of Great Britain as the party which is to receive compensation, it is in fact Canada to whom payments are made, and the Convention must be regarded as one primarily concerning Canada.

page 269 note 2 All statistics of the Pribilof Islands fur seal catch in this article are taken from Alaska Fishery and Fur Seal Industries (published annually under slightly varying title by the United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1893–1943).

page 269 note 3 Since the seals are highly polygamous and the sexes are born in equal numbers, controlled killing of the young bulls has no deleterious influence on the stock. The young bulls at three years old carry the prime skins.

page 270 note 1 Japan-Manchoukuo Year Book, Tokyo, 1934, p. 390.Google Scholar

page 270 note 2 Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1926, Vol. 2, Washington, 1941, pp. 462–478.Google Scholar

page 270 note 3 See p. 264. The existence of three distinct species of North Pacific fur seal was recognised by article 3 of the Convention of 1911.

page 271 note 1 This measure (HR 2924) was implemented by a bill approved by President Roosevelt on 28 February 1944.

page 271 note 2 New York Times, 29 August 1943.