Commercial and subsistence harvests of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in eastern Canada and West Greenland

A revised estimate of bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) harvests in eastern Canada and West Greenland reveals that commercial whalers, particularly Basque whalers starting around 1530 AD, took an estimated 55,916–67,537 whales between 1530 and 1915, far exceeding previous estimates. Inuit subsistence harvests, which predated commercial whaling by centuries, accounted for an additional 11,435 whales before 1529 AD but declined sharply afterward due to overharvesting. The total estimated harvest from 1530 to 2009 AD surpasses 70,000 whales, with commercial whaling responsible for 88% of the kills. This comprehensive analysis, integrating anthropological, archaeological, and historic data, challenges prior population models by correcting biases in historical catch records. While data reliability varies, the findings underscore the devastating impact of commercial whaling on Inuit subsistence practices and highlight significant gaps in harvest documentation.

Higdon, Jeff. W. (2023). Commercial and subsistence harvests of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in eastern Canada and West Greenland. J. Cetacean Res. Manage., 11(2), 185–216. https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v11i2.623