30849-1913-The-Seal-Fisheries-North-Pacific-Act-1912 — Page 1

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JULY 11, 1913.

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

No. 208. The following are published for general information.

[2 & 3 GEO, 5.] SEAL FISHERIES (NORTH PACIFIC) ACT, 1912.

A.D. 1912.

Extension of area within which pela-

may be pro- hibited. 58 & 59

Vict. c. 21.

CHAPTER 10.

An Act to make such provisions with respect to the prohibition of catching Seals and Sea Otters in certain parts of the Pacific Ocean, and for the enforcement of such prohibitions as are necessary to carry out a Convention between His Majesty the King and the United States of America, the Emperor of Japan, and the Emperor of All the Russias..

[7th August, 1912.]

WHEREAS & Convention has been entered into between His Majesty and the

United States of America, the Emperor of Japan, and the Emperor of All the Russins with respect to the prohibition of pelagic sealing in certain parts of the Pacific Ocean, and it is desirable that such amendments of the law should be made as will enable effect to be given to that Convention :

Be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present l'arliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

1. The seas with respect to which an Order in Council may be made under the Seal Fisheries (North Pacific) Act, 1895, prohibiting the killing, taking, and gic sealing hunting of scals therein shall include the seas within such part of the Pacific Ocean as is north of the thirtieth parallel of north latitude, including the seas of Behring, Kamchatka, Okhotsk and Japan, and accordingly that Act shall have effect as if in sub-section (2) of section seven thereof for the words "within that part of the Pacific Ocean known as Behring's Sea and within such other parts of the Pacific Ocean as are north of the forty-second parallel of north latitude" there were sub- stituted the words "within such part of the Pacific Ocean as is north of the thirtieth parallel of north latitude, including the seas of Behring, Kamchatka, Okhotsk and Japan."

Power to prohibit

killing and

2. His Majesty in Council shall have the like power of making Orders in Council under the said Act as amended by this Act with respect to the killing, hunting of taking, and hunting of sea otters within such part of the Pacific Ocean as aforesaid as with respect to the killing, taking, and hunting of seals, and that Act as so amended shall apply accordingly.

sea otters.

Prohibition

of using ports for

purposes of .pelagic

3.-1.) If any person uses any port within the United Kingdom for the purpose of equipping any ship intended to be used or employed in killing, taking, or hunting seals in contravention of any such Order as aforesaid, he shall be guilty sealing con- of an offence, and shall be liable to be dealt with as if such offence were an offence declared to be a misdemeanour by the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and the ship and her equipment and everything on board thereof shall be subject to forfeiture to His Majesty.

trary to Order. 57 & 58 Vict. c. 60.

(2) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that there is reasonable cause for believing that a ship has been or is being equipped contrary to this section, the Secretary of State may authorise the Board of Trade, or any officer of the Board, to seize and detain the ship. Where such an authority is given, the ship may be seized and detained in like manner as if it were liable to seizure and detention under the Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 to 1907.

(3.) For the purposes of this section, "equipping" in relation to a ship shall include the furnishing of a ship with any tackle, apparel, furniture, provisions munitions, fuel or stores, or any other thing which is used in or about a ship for the purpose of fitting or adapting her for the sea or for killing, taking, or hunting scals.

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