Behring Sea Award Act 1894

FIRST SCHEDULE PROVISIONS in AWARD of the TRIBUNAL of ARBITRATION constituted under the Treaty concluded at Washington on the 29th of February 1892, between HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

And whereas the aforesaid determination of the foregoing questions as to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States mentioned in Article VI. leaves the subject in such a position that the concurrence of Great Britain is necessary to the establishment of Regulations for the proper protection and preservation of the fur-seal in or habitually resorting to the Behring Sea, the Tribunal having decided by a majority as to each Article of the following Regulations, we the said Baron de Courcel, Lord Hannen, Marquis Visconti Venosta, and Mr. Gregers Gram, assenting to the whole of the nine Articles of the following Regulations, and being a majority of the said arbitrators, do decide and determine in the mode provided by the Treaty that the following concurrent Regulations outside the jurisdictional limits of the respective Governments are necessary, and that they should extend over the waters herein-after mentioned; that is to say :—

Article 1. The Governments of the United States and of Great Britain shall forbid their citizens and subjects respectively to kill, capture, or pursue at any time and in any manner whatever, the animals commonly called fur-seals, within a zone of 60 miles around the Pribiloff Islands, inclusive of the territorial waters.

The miles mentioned in the preceding paragraph are geographical miles, of 60 to a degree of latitude.

Article 2. The two Governments shall forbid their citizens and subjects respectively to kill, capture, or pursue, in any manner whatever, during the season extending each year from the 1st May to the 31st July, both inclusive, the fur-seals on the high sea in the part of the Pacific Ocean, inclusive of the Behring Sea, which is situated to the north of the 35th degree of north latitude, and. eastward of the 180th degree of longitude from Greenwich till it strikes the water boundary described in Article I. of the Treaty of 1867 between the United States and Russia, and following that line up to Behring Straits.

Article 3. During the period of time and in the waters in which the fur-seal fishing is allowed, only sailing vessels shall be permitted to carry on or take part in fur-seal fishing operations. They will, however, be at liberty to avail themselves of the use of such canoes or undecked boats, propelled by paddles, oars, or sails, as are in common use as fishing boats.

Article 4. Each sailing vessel authorised to fish for fur-seals must be provided with a special licence issued for (hat purpose by its Government, and shall be required to carry a distinguishing flag to be prescribed by its Government.

Article 5. The masters of the vessels engaged in fur-seal fishing shall enter accurately in their official log-book the date and place of each fur-seal fishing operation, and also the number and sex of the seals captured upon each day. These entries shall be communicated by each of the two Governments to the other at the end of each fishing season.

Article 6. The use of nets, fire-arms, and explosives shall be forbidden in the fur-seal fishing. This restriction shall not apply to shot guns when such fishing takes place outside of Behring's Sea during the season when it may be lawfully carried on.

Article 7. The two Governments shall take measures to control the fitness of the men authorised to engage in fur-seal fishing. These men shall have been proved fit to handle with sufficient skill the weapons by means of which this fishing may be carried on.

Article 8. The Regulations contained in the preceding Articles shall not apply to Indians dwelling on the coasts of the territory of the United States or of Great Britain, and carrying on fur-seal fishing in canoes or undecked boats not transported by or used in connexion with other vessels and propelled wholly by paddles, oars, or sails, and manned by not more than five persons each in the way hitherto practised by the Indians, provided such Indians are not in the employment of other persons, and provided that, when so hunting in canoes or undecked boats, they shall not hunt fur-seals outside of territorial waters under contract for the delivery of the skins to any person.

This exemption shall not be construed to affect the municipal law of either country, nor shall it extend to the waters of Behring Sea, or the waters of the Aleutian Passes.

Nothing herein contained is intended to interfere with the employment of Indians as hunters or otherwise in connexion with fur-sealing vessels as heretofore.

Article 9. The concurrent regulations hereby determined with a view to the protection and preservation of the fur-seals, shall remain in force until they have been, in whole, or in part, abolished or modified by common agreement between the Governments of the United States and of Great Britain.

The said concurrent regulations shall be submitted every five years to a new examination, so as to enable both interested Governments to consider whether, in the light of past experience, there is occasion for any modification thereof.