7. Condition of the Stocks

(from "Chairman's Report of the Fourteenth Meeting")


Observations on the condition of the stocks of whales were made by the Ad Hoc Scientific Committee and the Scientific Committee. They were later received and discussed by the Commission. The stocks of the most important commercial species in the Antarctic were considered to give cause for great concern as is shown by the information for the separate species given below.
(i) Blue Whales The stock of this species is in a very serious condition. Although a still later opening date for the taking of blue whales, as was proposed in the Commissions' meeting last year, would serve to lessen the taxation of this species, it is considered that nothing short of complete protection for a period of years would meet the needs of conservation.

(ii) Fin Whales The rate of taxation of this stock if it continues is likely to produce a further and probably accelerated decline. During the past year there has been a slight further increase in the percentage of immature whales, and a steep further reduction in the catch per catcher's day's work.

(iii) Humpback Whales At present humpbacks cannot be taken from the Group II stock living in Antarctic Area II. Next year the question will arise as to whether the protection of this species in Area II should be continued. There is no reason to suppose that there has been any recovery of the stock in this region. No new restrictions are envisaged for the reduced stock of Group III as provided there is no substantial increase in the present catch there is some expectancy of regeneration. Evidence from the west coast of Australia indicates a further deterioration of the Group IV stock. This will continue if the present level of catching is maintained. The Group V stock which first showed signs of deterioration two years ago has now been drastically reduced. There is no new evidence as to whether the Group VI stock is separate from that of Group V.

(iv) Sei Whales The catch of sei whales in the Antarctic continues to increase due it is believed to the diversion of effort to this species in the absence of the larger preferred species. The rate of increase, however, is slowing down and suggests that the maximum sustainable catch is being approached or may even have been passed.

(v) Sperm Whales More sperm whales were caught in the Antarctic than in the previous year but the average length continued to fall. In the areas outside the Antarctic the Scientific Committee and the Ad Hoc Scientific Committee had little before them on the condition of the stocks. For sperm whales although precise information on the condition of the stocks was scanty it was noted by the Committee that, at the Azores, the numbers taken had tended to decline in the last five years and that the catch per whaleboat had also been going down.

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