The Short Title of this Act shall be “The Seals Fisheries Protection Act, 1878.”

Section two of “The Protection of Animals Act Amendment Act, 1875,” is hereby repealed.

No person shall hunt, catch, or attempt to catch or kill seals between the days hereinafter mentioned (which interval is herein referred to as “the close season”), that is to say, between the first day of October and the first day of June following, both inclusive; and any person acting in contravention of this section shall forfeit any seal caught by him, and shall in addition thereto incur a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds, and a further penalty not exceeding ten pounds in respect of each seal so caught.

The Governor may, by Order in Council, from time to time extend or vary the time during which it is prohibited to hunt, catch, or kill seals, and may from time to time vary the close season so extended, and may also prescribe that any such order shall take effect in the whole colony, or only in particular parts thereof to be defined in such order.

If he shall think it necessary for the preservation of seals to do so, the Governor may, in a similar manner, extend the time during which it is prohibited to hunt, catch, or kill seals over any term not exceeding three years, and may at any time before the expiration of any such term further extend the same.

Any penalties imposed by this Act for the purpose of prohibiting the catching or killing of seals during the close season shall apply to such season, however the same may be varied or extended.

The Governor may, by Order in Council, from time to time exclude any part of the colony from the operation of this Act.