Klappmyssens aldersfordeling i Danmarkstredet

Abstract

The age composition of the hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) based upon samples from the summer seal hunt in the Denmark Strait is shown in fig. 1. The 1957-year class is particularly promising. The reason for this is probably that so many youngs escaped the hunters in the spring of 1957. Since 1956, the catches in the Denmark Strait have contained an increasing number of young animals l-4 years of age, while the amount of older animals is decreasing. The total mortality among the l-5 year olds is estimated to be about 20 percent, and that of older animals about 23 per cent, which is very high. The features shown by the stock of hoods strongly indicate that protective measures are necessary. It is the older animals, particularly the females, which biologially are most valueable for the recruitment of the stock. A closed season for hood-hunting was introduced for the Denmark Strait in 1961. It is hoped that this closure will help toward a better and more profitable utilization of the hood stock on the other and more important hunting ground, - the Jan Mayen area.