The New Zealand Sealing Industry - Department of Conservation

4. Development of sealing
in the region
The New Zealand sealing industry commenced in either 1791 or 1792, but remained
a sporadic activity until 1803 (Fig. 3). It reached an initial peak in 1809,
but declined dramatically in 1813, persisted at a lower level through to the early
1820s, then underwent a major revival in the following decade before coming to
a standstill in the early 1840s. There was only sporadic activity throughout the
middle decades of the 19th century, until a further revival commenced in 1872
and continued into the 1890s. After 1894 seals could be taken only illegally,
except during brief open seasons, the last of which was in 1946.
20
Possible
Probable
15
Definite
Voyages per year
10
5
0
• • • • • • • • • • •
1790 1800 1810 1820 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890
Year of departure
Figure 3. Sealing voyages per year in the New Zealand sealing region, 1791–1890.
The following review outlines ten phases into which the sealing industry can be
subdivided in the period up to 1946. Although definition of these necessarily
relates to the entire New Zealand sealing region, particular attention is given to
the implications during each period for activity on the New Zealand mainland
and immediate offshore islands.
Except for the first phase, where the evidence is most diffuse, details of specific
voyages are not related here. These are held in a Sealing Voyages Database in the
Anthropology Department, University of Otago.
10