Commercial Whaling Research Paper

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From Profits to Near Extinction: The Moratorium on Commercial Whaling and the Recovery of Whales
Robert Dorrell
Professor Malu Jorge
27 April 2015

Thesis: This paper focuses on the dire circumstances that led to the establishment of the moratorium on commercial whaling, its effect on the whale population, and the future of commercial whaling globally
I. Introduction
II. History of Whaling
a. Early Whaling
b. Why Whales: Products developed
c. Whaling Technology Innovations
III. Environment effects of whaling
a. Whale Population Abundance
b. Deep sea biodiversity
c. Earth Carbon Cycle
IV. Moratorium on Commercial Whaling
a. Successful Recovery of Humpback
b. Lack of Recovery of Western Gray Whale
c. Migration pattern are possible …show more content…
The Basques, a group of Central Europeans, began the first known commercial whaling operation in 1000 A.D. They conducted their operations off the coast of northern Spain and France. The Basques hunted whales for their meat and blubber. During the cold winters in the Arctic and Northern Europe, whale materials were a staple of survival (Douglass 53). Every part of the whale was utilized to make products such as lamps, tools, and food. The most desirable whale commodity was oil. The average whale produced 25 to 40 barrels of high quality oil that burned without odor. Whale oil was considered a luxurious commodity and was desired by the elite (Brittanica). The high demand for whale oil along with the abundance of whales in the oceans allowed the commercial whaling industry to grow rapidly (Greenwood 63). By the late 18th century, commercial whaling was prevalent throughout the world, and was a highly profitable …show more content…
According to Stephen Palumbi in his paper, Whales Before Whaling in the North Atlantic, the western gray whale once had a population size of about 96,000 (Palumbi 509). Currently, the western gray whale, which feeds in Russian waters, numbers a little more than one 100 individuals. No human-induced western pacific gray whale deaths are currently permitted because the population is so critically endangered. Even though the moratorium on commercial whaling banned hunting these endangered species, the western gray whale was hunted to levels so low that 45 years later their recovery is still in question
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