1997 Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 93-120
In Russia, sea otter (Enhydra lutris) harvest started in 1741 when Bering's expedition arrived at Bering Island and the animals nearly became extinct during the following twenty years. Shortly thereafter sealing of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) started and continued. A Russian monopoly, the Russian-American Company, managed Russian colonies and the land sealing industry from 1799 to 1867. Sealing of northern fur seals at sea started in 1866, and soon its harvest exceeded that of on land. For prohibiting sealing at sea Canada, Japan, USA and USSR contracted the Interim Convention on Conservation of North Pacific Fur Seals in 1911 (ICCNPFS). Since the eighteen century, sealing history is divided to three stages : 1) first stage of natural resource plundering with territory, 2) second stage of marketing management during the period of the Russian-American Company (1799-1867), 3) third stage of preliminary natural resource management during 1868 and 1911.
