Anyone for dolphin sandwich? The worrying rise of 'bushmeat of the sea' as fishermen also serve up seals and walruses

By Lee Moran


They may be man's best underwater friend but more dolphins are being killed for food than ever before.The eating of sea mammals - including seals, sea lions and walruses - is becoming increasingly popular in poor nations across the world.
Fishermen struggling to make ends meet, because of a fall in coastal fish catches, are being forced to turn to the more meaty alternatives.

Tasty: More dolphins are being eaten across the world than ever before, a study has revealed

Martin Robards, of Alaska's Wildlife Conservation Society, conducted the study of 900 sources after only hearing anecdotal stories about the phenomenon.
He said: 'This is essentially a bushmeat problem. It is now clear that human consumption of marine mammals is geographically widespread, taxonomically diverse, and often of uncertain sustainability.'

 

Mr Robards, who worked alongside Randall Reeves of the Okapi Wildlife Associates in Quebec, published his findings in the journal Biological Conservation.
They found that the number of countries admitting to consuming marine mammals has risen since 1981 from 107 to 125, and that a total of 87 species have been eaten.

In demand: Sea Lions are also being eaten more than ever before

Only 6 per cent of the 1,400 marine species used as food were marine mammals, but the research suggested action now needs to be taken before they are depleted or wiped out.
The pair added: 'Our review highlights an escalation in utilisation of small cetaceans caught in conjunction with fishing activities since 1970, a form of fishing-up-the-food-chain.
'Where consumption relates to food security and poverty, we found evidence of deliberate killing of animals caught both deliberately and accidentally in fishing gear.'
The study also outlined how popular the eating of marine mammals is in North American.
It said most of it occurred in Alaska and Canada, by Native Americans, who eat bowhead and grey whales, beluga whales, seals, sea lions and walruses.

At work: Fishermen are being forced to catch more sea mammals because of decline in the global fish supplies

And it revealed Japan had by far the largest consumer of marine mammals in the world, based on the annual number of animals killed for consumption.
They said the increased killing of marine mammals, especially that of dolphins and porpoises intentionally killed after capture in fishing nets — can be partly explained by the proliferation of modern synthetic nets.
The global decline of fish catches, combined with population growth, poverty and hunger for meat, has also driven the trend.
They added: 'Consequently, there is a conservation imperative to reduce human-caused mortality of marine mammals in the many areas where proper assessment is lacking and governance is inadequate.'

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