Antarctic Whaling

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Author: Borley, J. O.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1938
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Ecology; Geography, Planning and Development; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Viken; Antarc*; Polar Record
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247400036603; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247400036603

In most of the years subsequent to the undue expansion of the season 1930–81, mutual agreements were reached between the whaling companies of most of the nations interested in whaling, whereby production was restricted. Owing partly to novel factors, including the increased number of nations participating in the industry, labour friction, and, most fundamental, the rapid rise in the price of whale oil, the achievement of any such arrangement for the season 1936–37 proved unusually difficult. The British and Norwegian Governments, accordingly, arrived at regulations binding on the nationals of each. These regulations curtailed Antarctic pelagic whaling to three months' duration commencing December 1; and in the course of discussion the factory ships to be employed were designated by name, and stations which should operate, and prescribed the number of catchers each might employ, and factory ships (with a few insignificant exceptions) working in the Antarctic were prohibited from operating also between the Equator and Lat. 40° S. These regulations did not affect Japanese or German whaling. The fleet, notwithstanding the limitations, was larger than in any other year since 1930. It included the powerful new factory, Terje Viken , under the British flag, equipped entirely with mechanical boilers; two Japanese and one German factory, and totalled in all thirty ships, served by 173 catchers; but for the regulations many more catchers would have been employed. It is noteworthy that for the first time since the revival of Southern whaling, of the men employed, some 700 were of British nationality. The production of oil was over 2,600,000 barrels or 430,000 tons.