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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

חוּן

Reference :-

1.C.O. 885

22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC. COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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Confidential despatch of the 11th July, 1912, and stating that the Canadian Govern- ment favours the proposed International Conference; and I am to suggest that this letter should be communicated to Mr. Harcourt in reply to his despatch of the 8th ultimo.

I have, &c.,

W. H. WALKER, Acting Under-Secretary of State

for External Affairs

DEPARTMENT OF MARINE AND FISHERIES.

Ottawa, May 2nd, 1913.

SIR,

I BEG to revert to the despatch forwarded with your letter of the 27th March, ultimo, and to previous correspondence, regarding the proposal to hold an Inter- national Conference to consider the question of the protection and preservation of the whales and the whaling industry carried on in Canada. My reply has been delayed pending the receipt of certain information connected with the industry on the Pacific coast, which has just been received.

At the present time there is in Canada one whale factory on the Atlantic Coast. It is located at Seven Islands, on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Last year there were killed, in connection with this plant, 89 whales. Of these, 30 were sulphur-bottoms, 58 finbacks, and one that is locally known as a North Cape whale. Two This factory operates from early in May to the middle of October each year. whaling steamers are operated for it.

On the Pacific coast four factories are in operation. Two of these are located on the west coast of Vancouver Island--at Sechart, Barclay Sound, and Kyuquot-- and two on the Queen Charlotte Islands-at Rose Harbour, Moresby Island, and Naden Harbour, Graham Island. In connection with these four factories, ten whaling steamers are operated. Last year 1,109 whales were killed. Of these 528 were humpbacks, 395 finbacks, 167 sulphur-bottoms, and 19 sperm whales.

At these factories all parts of the whales are utilised. The products are--oil, scrap fertilizer, and bone-meal.

The approximate value of the products at the Seven Islands Factory in 1912 was $95,000, and of the Pacific factories $536,938.

Licences for three other sites on the British Columbia coast have been issued, but it is doubtful if factories will be built under them.

The whaling industry carried on from the Canadian coasts is controlled by the Department, under the authority of Section 9 of the Fisheries Act,* two copies of It will be observed that sub- which, with amendments, are appended hereto.

section 4 of this section has been rescinded by 9-10 Edward VII., Chapter 20,† a copy of which is attached to the Act.

While paragraph (a) of sub-section 2 of this section provides that a licence shall not be granted for a factory at a site nearer an existing one than 50 miles, such licences have not up to the present been granted for sites nearer each other than one hundred miles. This course was taken in view of the rapid depletion of the fishery about Newfoundland, where factories were allowed 50 miles from each other.

It may be noted that Canada licenses no floating factories or oileries. While Canada is in a position to control the industry from its coasts, much difficulty in doing so is being experienced on the Pacific, owing to the fact that apparently no restriction is being exercised in the fishery either in the United States proper or in Alaska. It is also contended by some of those engaged in the industry that the whales, in their peregrinations, visit the Asiatic shores, where they fall a· prey to Japanese whalers.

Canada is exceedingly anxious to perpetuate the industry from its shores. It therefore favours the proposed International Conference.

I am, &c.,

A. JOHNSTON, Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries.

The Under-Secretary of State

for External Affairs,

Ottawa.

Section 9 only reprinted: see Appendix.

↑ Not reprinted.

9427

No. 26.

WHALING IN THE DOMINIONS.

Union of South Africa:

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION.

Attitude of Dominion Governments.

Ministers are fully in accord with the policy which would permit of the establishment of an international close season for whaling purposes, and of any other measures which it may be found possible to introduce by international agreement for the purpose of guarding against the destruction of whales."

Australia:

"The Government concurs in the proposal that restrictive measures are desirable for the prevention of excessive destruction of whales."

New Zealand:

Ministers are favourable to the regulation of the whaling industry, and suggest that the Dominion should be represented at any international conference by the High Commissioner or one of his officers.

Newfoundland:

The Minister of Marine and Fisheries is very much in favour of an international conference. He suggests that no additional licences should be issued, and that a close time should be established.

Canada:

The Ministry of Marine and Fisheries is exceedingly anxious to perpetuate the Canadian industry. It therefore favours the proposed International Conference.

Union of South Africa:

Extent of the Industry.

Twenty-four leases of land sites for whaling stations have been granted, of which 13 are for 25 years, 7 for 10 years, and 3 not stated, probably 10 years. Only nine land stations are yet in operation; these employ 24 whaling steamers. There are also three floating factories, but the number of additional whaling steamers employed in connection with these is not stated.

In the Cape Province, 1,120 whales were caught last season. The products were valued at £94,050.

In Natal 799 whales were caught in 1912, of which 770 were humpbacks. The products were valued at £51,406. In the years 1908 to 1911, 105, 155, 532, and 1,061 whales were caught, respectively.

Australia:

No information is given by the Governor-General as to the extent of the whaling industry. From other sources it is understood that the industry has proved a failure in eastern Australian waters, and is in an experimental stage in Western Australia. Three companies have been formed in Norway, with an aggregate capital of £167,000, to operate in Western Australia, and have been granted licences in which provision is made for the erection of land stations. Two whaling steamers and a floating factory have arrived.

New Zealand:

Seven vessels are engaged in whaling, of which five are Norwegian. believed that they have not been very successful.

Newfoundland:

It is

There are 8 shore factories employing 8 whaling steamers. One of these vessels is fitted as a floating factory, but does her own killing also. There is no other floating factory. The average number of whales taken annually is 428 for the last five years. In 1911 259 finback, 39 sulphur, 36 humpback, and 7 sperm whales were captured.

All factories operating are required to use the whole carcase.

The industry is a very old one, which has considerably declined; but the Minister believes that the number of whales captured was scarcely appreciable when compared with the number which formerly frequented Newfoundland waters, and that the present scarcity of whales is chiefly due to their avoiding localities which they recog-

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