Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

eeding season for optimum condition and maximum productivity of oil, which is
when the cows are suckling their calves. Moreover, in the early part of the breeding
season when bulls and cows are in good condition, the pups have laid down little fat.
In fact the taking of females and young seals, which was such a wasteful feature in
early days of uncontrolled sealing – and contributed greatly towards the decline of
the herd during the nineteenth century, has been prohibited since the beginning of
Government control. Elephant seals don’t lend themselves to pelagic sealing
operations as some northern species do, and this too greatly simplifies control and
inspection.
In order to prevent a recurrence of the previous indiscriminate slaughter the
Falklands Islands Government in 1899 introduced a Seal Fishery Ordinance, which
was the first step towards putting the industry on a rational basis. The position was
revised by further ordinances in 1904, 1909 and 1921. A result of this legislation the
coastline of the island was divided into four ‘divisions’. The first extended from Cape
Nuñez to Cape North, the second from Cape Buller to Cape Saunders, the third from
Larsen Point to Cape Disappointment , and the fourth from there to Cape Nuñez
Several seal reserves where no hunting was permitted, were designated. The
Divisions were worked in rotation; each year the seals in one division were allowed
to remain undisturbed. Licences for taking a stipulated number of adult male
elephant seals were issued annually to the sealing company by the Magistrate. It was
forbidden to hunt fur seals and, since 1916, Weddell seals because the latter species is
confined to a small relict colony in Larsen harbour at the southern end of the island.
Leopard seals could be taken until 1927, but yielded a negligible fraction of the total
oil output of the sealing industry. The four reserves were were Willis island and Bird
Island, the coastlines from Cape North to Cape Buller, from Cape Sounders to Larsen
Point, and in the vicinity of Dartmouth Point in East Cumberland Bay.
The first licence was issued in 1910 to the oldest established whaling company at
South Georgia, the Compañía Argentina de Pesca (CAP), and that company
monopolised the sealing industry until within a few years of its demise in 1964. The
Magistrate, as the senior civil authority, issued annual licences. At first only the
divisions nearest to the station were worked, and from 1 October to 31 December
was a close period. Later September was also included in the close season, although
September sealing was allowed in certain war years (1914, 1916-1918). The seals were
therefore virtually unmolested in the breeding season. In 1921 the close season was
altered to extend from 1 November to 28 February, and the licences permitted
September and October sealing from 1922 onwards. Sealing was also permitted in the
first part of November in 1923, 1924 and 1932 and each year from 1938 onwards the
company applied for and was granted an extension into November. In 1942 the
sealing crews did not arrive on the island until 3 November and the season ended on
30 November, in 1951 the main season ended on 25 November and in 1952 on 30
November.
Although there was only one close season the sealing operations fell into two
parts, for the animals left the beaches to lead a pelagic life during the winter. In
practice hunting under control now began in early September and ended about mid-
November. Operations used to start again on 1 March and continued until the
414