Control Of Whaling

Restricted Season and Smaller Plant

A FTER months of squabbling it appears that an agreement has been reached between British and Norwegian interests to govern whaling in the Antarctic.

During the last 10 years there has been no restriction upon whaling in the remote south. The result has been that huge expeditions have been organised—a fac tory ship with anything up to 10 whale catchers —and an enormously increased quantity of whale oil has been poured upon the world’s market. A decade ago whale oil did not compete to any great extent with coconut oil; but to-day,

owing to new methods of purification and deodorization, whale oil is an active com petitor with coconut oil. This huge quantity of Antarctic whale oil has had a very definite effect upon the world’s copra market.

But the unrestricted destruction of whales has at last stirred the nations to take special measures. Scientists have pointed out that whales have been swept from every ocean in the world, except Antarctica; and that the Antarctic whales, which probably took millions of years to evolve, are in danger of being destroyed within a few decades.

A move to limit this destruction was made some three years ago but appar ently was resisted by vested interests. A strong pressure was finally brought to bear and the argument has been going on in London and in Oslo for many months. The whaling companies appear to have fought to the last ditch against restriction.

The basis of the agreement was an nounced in September. It is restriction by a close season and by the limitation of the number of whale-catchers —small boats which go out from a parent ship— which shall be used at any one time in connection with a whale factory ship.

The open season will be from December 8, 1936, to March 7, 1937, and the number of whale-catchers allowed to be used at any one time by any factory ship will vary from seven to five, according to the classification agreed upon between the two Governments.

United Kingdom ships will, as in previous years, carry inspectors, who will ensure compliance with the statutory regulations and also safeguard the terms of the voluntary agreement.

As from Monday, August 24, Australia took control of about 3,000,000 square miles of territory in the Antarctic, and regulations have been issued under the Whaling Act, passed last December. All Australian ships which engage in whal ing must be licensed and the regulations provide very strictly that there shall be no wastage in the manner that has made the industry notorious in recent years.