A New Fiji Industry

If The

Count’S Right

FOR the second year in succession, whales in the Makogai-Ovalau area of Fiji are being counted, and tagged.

Exploratory work is being carried •out under the direction of Mr, W. G.

Johnson, Managing-Director of W. R. Carpenter & Co. (Fiji) Ltd.

It may prove that whales are pre sent in Fiji waters in sufficient numbers at certain times of the year —if so, it could mean the start of another industry in Fiji.

The main observation post is on a big hill in Levuka, which com mands a view of a large area of ocean. A second post on Wakaya Island also commands a wide sweep of Lomaiviti waters. Recently a third post was set up on the island of Naiqani.

This makes it possible to see whether whales that are sighted go through the Vatu-i-ra channel, or are turned back by the reefs in that area, or whether they pass through Makogai Channel. It is known that a number of them go that way.

All three observation posts are permanently manned, and are linked by very high frequency radio tele phone.

The Adi Sovatahua, used as a sur

vey and supply vessel, is also on the radio telephone link.

It is from the Adi Sovatahua that the whales are marked. Numbered cylinders are fired into the whale’s outer layer of blubber from a modified 12-bore shot-gun. If a marked whale is caught anywhere

in the world, any cylinders dis covered are sent to the Britis Museum, which has been selected s an international clearing house fo information about the season) migration of whales.

Provided the exploratory won proves that there is a continuous ar

ufficient supply of whales, bearing n mind that every whale sighted 3 not necessarily a whale caught, a actory will be erected in Levuka.

The whales migrate northwards i the Southern Winter, and by Sep smber are usually again going authwards to Antarctica. They fol >w well-defined routes —a fact that as been used for the profit of new tations as in Norfolk Island and [orthern New South Wales.

NZ Whaling Fails

CHE Hauraki Whaling Co., a pub lic company established last year with a capital of £lOO,OOO, ent into receivership in Auckland jcently.

Evidently an insufficient survey f whale migration densities in the icinity of the shore-based station as the cause of the collapse. The jmpany, which was based on ■reat Barrier Island outside Auck .nd, had one converted Fairmile aval launch as whalechaser, and permit to take 150 whales per lason.

The company calculated that a inimum of 50 whales would cover >sts.

The season coincides with the igration from Antarctic to tropics ■the northern run occurring from te April to about mid-August and ie southern run, less satisfactory this area, from about mid-Sep mber to mid-November. The ficial season in New Zealand aters is from May 1 to October 31.

The company did not commence »erating last year until mid-June, id took only 30 whales. This used the company to call for a rther £25,000 in capital to com ence the 1957 season—and this count was oversubscribed, there ing a good deal of interest and itimism in the financial prospects the company.

On August 6, however, it was mounced that Hauraki Whaling ). had been placed in receivership, th the 1957 kill announced at ain only 30 whales to date, and i funds in hand to continue erations. The 5/- shares had lien steadily from a peak of 8/3 ortly after the company was :ablished, to 5/3 before the 1957 ason commenced and are now lued at about 1 - by sellers—and by buyers. [t could well be that bad weather d factors influencing the migra :y routes had caused two bad isons, and that possibly next ar there would be many whales ;hted in this area, but it appears übtful whether more capital will forthcoming. The Cook Strait laling station —only other in New aland waters—has experienced a rmal season, as also last year, so is evident that nearbly results are no great significance, and that id-based whaling can be a fickle siness.