Whale meat
Encyclopedia
Whale meat is the flesh of whales used for consumption by humans or other animals. It is prepared in various ways, and is historically part of the diet and cuisine of various communities that live near an ocean, including those of Japan
, Norway
, Iceland
, and the Arctic
. Human consumption of whale meat is controversial in some nations.
In the 1960s, the breeding of cetaceans for human consumption in atolls used for nuclear testing was mooted but never carried out.
Coastal Eskimos divided their catch into 10 sections. The fatty tail, considered to be the best part, went to the captain of the conquering vessel, while the less-desired sections were given to his crew and others that assisted with the kill.
, Iceland, and Alaska
, whale meat may be served without seasoning. However, it can also be cured or marinated, or made into jerky.
Dishes available in Japanese whale meat restaurants serve various forms, including cubed and grilled blubber, cartilage salads, and whale skin stew.
Some dishes available in Japan:
people in Greenland
is part of their culture. However, in recent times, tourists have begun to consume the meat. A Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
(WDCS) investigation has documented the practice of commercial wholesalers commissioning subsistence whalers hunt to supply the demand by supermarkets. Whale products in Greenland are sold in 4-star hotels.
, due to damage to Japan's infrastructure, whale meat became an important source of protein.
As of 2006, in Japan, 5,560 tons of whale meat worth ¥5.5 billion is sold in every year. The Japanese market has declined in recent years, with prices falling to $12 per pound in 2004, down $3 per pound from 1999. Fluke meat can sell for over $200 per kilogram, over three times the price of belly meat.
Whale meat is subject to strict quotas. Greenpeace has alleged that some of the meat on sale is illegally sourced and that more meat is caught than can be consumed by humans, with up to 20% of 2004's catch going unsold.
n Arctic have depended on whale meat. The meat is harvested from legal, non-commercial hunts that occur twice a year in the spring and autumn. The meat is stored and eaten throughout the winter.
has been an important source of food and vitamins. The meat is not available in supermarkets, but instead is kept in homes, where it is prepared and eaten.
Both the meat and blubber are stored and prepared in various ways, including Tvøst og spik. When fresh, the meat is often boiled. It can also be served as steak (grindabúffur). This dish comprises meat, blubber and potatoes, which is salted and then boiled for an hour. The meat can also be served in thin slivers with dried fish.
Traditionally, whale meat was preserved by hanging salted pieces outdoors to be dried in the wind. This method is still used today, particularly in villages. Today, both meat and blubber are often stored in the freezer.
resulting from eating whale meat is substantially lower than that of beef
. Greenpeace
has responded that "The survival of a species is more important than lower greenhouse gas emissions from eating it," Many organizations, including Greenpeace, have criticised the whale trade for preying on endangered species. However, populations of many whale species are increasing.
have attempted to disrupt commercial whaling to varying degrees of success.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, and the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
. Human consumption of whale meat is controversial in some nations.
History
Whales have been hunted by different communities for many centuries. Usually this was for food, but sometimes eating whale meat was the by-product of other concerns such as the need for whale oil, or the desire to clear oceans of whales which were potential shipping hazards.In the 1960s, the breeding of cetaceans for human consumption in atolls used for nuclear testing was mooted but never carried out.
Species hunted
Minke whale is one of the most common species still hunted.Cuts
In modern-day Japan, two cuts of whale meat are usually created: the belly meat and the fluke (tail) meat. In the early 19th century, 70 different cuts were known.Coastal Eskimos divided their catch into 10 sections. The fatty tail, considered to be the best part, went to the captain of the conquering vessel, while the less-desired sections were given to his crew and others that assisted with the kill.
Dishes
In places such as NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Iceland, and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, whale meat may be served without seasoning. However, it can also be cured or marinated, or made into jerky.
Dishes available in Japanese whale meat restaurants serve various forms, including cubed and grilled blubber, cartilage salads, and whale skin stew.
Some dishes available in Japan:
- Harihari-nabeHarihari-nabeis a type of nabemono made with minke whale meat and mizuna. It is mainly found in the Kansai region, mostly in the Osaka metropolitan area. The name "harihari" is onomatopoeic and refers to the sound of chewing mizuna....
is a typical dish in OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... - SashimiSashimiSashimi is a Japanese delicacy. It consists of very fresh raw meat, most commonly fish, sliced into thin pieces.-Origin:The word sashimi means "pierced body", i.e...
of Onomi is a marbled meat taken from the dorsal finDorsal finA dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
to the tail - Sashimi of Abura-sunoko is striped layers of meat made from the root of the flippers
- Udemono, consists of innards that have been boiled and sliced
Greenland
The consumption of whale meat by the InuitInuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
people in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
is part of their culture. However, in recent times, tourists have begun to consume the meat. A Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is a wildlife charity that is dedicated solely to the worldwide conservation and welfare of all whales, dolphins and porpoises...
(WDCS) investigation has documented the practice of commercial wholesalers commissioning subsistence whalers hunt to supply the demand by supermarkets. Whale products in Greenland are sold in 4-star hotels.
Japan
Whales have been hunted for meat in Japan since before 800 AD. After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, due to damage to Japan's infrastructure, whale meat became an important source of protein.
As of 2006, in Japan, 5,560 tons of whale meat worth ¥5.5 billion is sold in every year. The Japanese market has declined in recent years, with prices falling to $12 per pound in 2004, down $3 per pound from 1999. Fluke meat can sell for over $200 per kilogram, over three times the price of belly meat.
Whale meat is subject to strict quotas. Greenpeace has alleged that some of the meat on sale is illegally sourced and that more meat is caught than can be consumed by humans, with up to 20% of 2004's catch going unsold.
Native Alaskan communities
For thousands of years, people native to the AlaskaAlaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n Arctic have depended on whale meat. The meat is harvested from legal, non-commercial hunts that occur twice a year in the spring and autumn. The meat is stored and eaten throughout the winter.
Faroe Islands
For centuries, meat from the pilot whalePilot whale
Pilot whales are cetaceans belonging to the genus Globicephala. There are two extant species, the long-finned pilot whale and the short-finned pilot whale . The two are not readily distinguished at sea and analysis of the skulls is the best way to tell the difference between them...
has been an important source of food and vitamins. The meat is not available in supermarkets, but instead is kept in homes, where it is prepared and eaten.
Both the meat and blubber are stored and prepared in various ways, including Tvøst og spik. When fresh, the meat is often boiled. It can also be served as steak (grindabúffur). This dish comprises meat, blubber and potatoes, which is salted and then boiled for an hour. The meat can also be served in thin slivers with dried fish.
Traditionally, whale meat was preserved by hanging salted pieces outdoors to be dried in the wind. This method is still used today, particularly in villages. Today, both meat and blubber are often stored in the freezer.
Environmental impact
Norwegian-based High North Alliance, has suggested that the carbon footprintCarbon footprint
A carbon footprint has historically been defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.". However, calculating a carbon footprint which conforms to this definition is often impracticable due to the large amount of data required, which is...
resulting from eating whale meat is substantially lower than that of beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
. Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
has responded that "The survival of a species is more important than lower greenhouse gas emissions from eating it," Many organizations, including Greenpeace, have criticised the whale trade for preying on endangered species. However, populations of many whale species are increasing.
Anti-whaling efforts
Groups such as Sea ShepherdSea Shepherd
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is a non-profit, marine conservation organization based in Friday Harbor, Washington in the United States. The group uses direct action tactics to protect sealife...
have attempted to disrupt commercial whaling to varying degrees of success.
See also
- WhalingWhalingWhaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
- Taboo food and drinkTaboo food and drinkTaboo food and drink are food and beverages which people abstain from consuming for religious, cultural or hygienic reasons. Many food taboos forbid the meat of a particular animal, including mammals, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, bony fish, and crustaceans...
- Sustainable seafoodSustainable seafoodSustainable seafood is seafood from either fished or farmed sources that can maintain or increase production in the future without jeopardizing the ecosystems from which it was acquired...
- Whaling in the Faroe IslandsWhaling in the Faroe IslandsWhaling in the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic has been practiced since about the time of the first Norse settlements on the islands. It is regulated by Faroese authorities but not by the International Whaling Commission as there are disagreements about the Commission's competency for small...
Further reading
- Mutsuko Ohnishi (1995), "Mrs. Ohnishi's Whale Cuisine", Kodansha, ISBN 4-06-207579-2