History of Whaling at Large:

Whaling has been around for thousands of years. The Japanese may have been the earliest whales, their hunts dating as far back as 4,000 years ago. Different peoples hunted different Oceans, the Japanese being the main hunters of the Pacific.

Entering into the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Norther Europe began to take interest in whaling for the whale oil and baleen that the whales provided. Whale oil contributed to oil lamps and candles, while baleen was used for fashion items like corsets and hoop skirts. Whaling became a part of popular culture.

Whaling in America:

Since whaling was popular in Europe, it was only a matter of time before America took up the practice. American colonists relied on whale oil to light most of their lamps, making the animals a hot commodity. By the 1700s whalers were finding Atlantic whales more and more sparse, so they expanded their operations to the Arctic and Antarctic.  Then, in the 1800s whaling hit its high point due to new technologies and whaling operations based on the East Coast operated ships in the South Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is estimated that in the early 1900s more whales were hunted than the past four centuries combined*. Still, as time went on other oils became more popular, and the whaling industry declined rapidly. Then, in the 1970s whales were being added to the endangered species list and whaling was outlawed in 1971.

Orca11

Whaling Today:

Whaling is not common today. Some Natives are requesting rights to continue to hunt whales, but regardless the species are quite protected. The history of whaling contributed to the drastic decline in whales, but now is not the threat to their populations. Still, the current rebuilding of the Pacific Northwest’s Orca population may be needed in part because of the aftermath of the whale hunts vibrant history. Also, the 1960s-1970s presented the Pacific Northwest with a population disruption as marine parks were performing wild captures for their parks.

Pollution:

(Pacific Ocean Takes Perilous Turn is a video posted by the Seattle Times explaining the toxicity of the Pacific Ocean and the effects that has on Ocean life at large. Click the link for an informative account of the current situation)

Pollution of the Pacific’s waters affects the whales, their food supplies and ultimately the entire ecosystem.

Salmon:

The Pacific Northwest’s resident whale populations subsists mainly on a diet of salmon. If there are not enough salmon the population cannot grow or subsist. With California building more dams* and salmon friendly practices not making the vote we are losing more and more salmon to harsher conditions. The whales do not have salmon to eat and so their population is in danger, but also trying to rehabilitate the whale population without taking steps for salmon to flourish may cause an even more drastic loss of the salmon population (See Repercussions page)

Top Four Current Risks: 

  1. Reduction of quantity and/or quality of prey
  2. high levels of organochlorine contaminants and increasing levels of many “emerging” contaminants (Disease)
  3. Sound and disturbance from vessel traffic
  4. Oil Spills

 

* Sources:

http://education.nationalgeographic.org/news/big-fish-history-whaling/

http://www.thedodo.com/srkw-orca-whales-calf-dies-776436624.html

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/recovery/whale_killer.pdf