Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Historical Photographs Collection, John Oxley Library, Brisbane
An officer of the Commonwealth Fisheries Office is stationed at
Tangalooma during the season to ensure that the provisions of
The
Whaling Act
are observed. An officer of the Fisheries Division of CSIRO
[the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation]
is stationed there also and collects data and makes observations on the
whales that are handled. Such information is summarised in the reports
presented each year to the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee of the
International Whaling Commission.
This report is significant as it indicates that the harvest of humpback whales
was both legally regulated and scientifically monitored; unlike the previous
European fisheries that had taken place in Queensland waters, the operation of
the commercial humpback whale fishery was accompanied by the collection of
scientific data about the catches.
In 1955, Coulter reported that the east Australian humpback whale
population 'appeared to be still in a reasonably stable condition', although
a decline in the numbers of that species had been observed by that year in
the west Australian fishery. In spite of those reports of over-exploitation of
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