Marine Mammals Consumed for Food

By AFOP, January 26th 2012

A new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Okapi Wildlife Associates has found that since 1990, 87 marine mammal species have been consumed for food in 114 countries. The species consumed include pilot whales, porpoises, the pygmy beaked whale, sea lions, polar bears, manatees, dugongs and the South Asian river dolphin. The findings were a result of WCS scientists examining around 900 sources of information on marine mammal consumption. Researchers only took data in instances where marine mammals were killed for food and not as bait or for medicine.

In order to fully assess the scale of hunting marine mammals for food, WCS researchers examined records from 1975 of small fisheries focused on cetaceans and global marine mammal catches from 1966-1975. In a 3 year investigations, researchers consulted with environmental groups and numerous researchers to find out which species are consumed for food. The research also found that there had been an increase in marine mammal consumption since 1970 and even cetaceans caught as bycatch may be consumed, particularly in poorer regions where there is poverty and food insecurity.

In the Congo Basin region, Gabon and Madagascar the killing of marine mammals for consumption takes place either as part of the bushmeat trade or as a means of being a supplementary source of dietary protein. In other parts of the world species like the dugong, a close relative of manatees, are considered a delicacy. Off the coasts of Gabon and Congo, one of the few remaining homes of the rare humpback dolphin, WCS is trying to protect remaining populations that are captured on costal gillnets set up by local fishermen.

WCS are helping to address the threats facing marine mammals by working with local people, at a local level, providing conservation actions such as creating dolphin and whale monitoring community groups and establishing a local conservation association composed of fishermen as is the case in Madagascar.

WCS- Marine mammals on the menu in many parts of world

(CC) Image by Barney Moss