In January of this year, Dr. Martin D. Robards of the Wildlife Conservation Society; and Dr. Randall R. Reeves (a good friend to the New Bedford Whaling Museum) of Okapi Wildlife Associates published a report about a disturbing rise in the amount of marine mammal meat being eaten around the world. In total 87 species were consumed in 114 countries.
A recent editorial in the journal Biological Conservation, in response to the Robards & Reeves report, has brought this issue back into focus. This story in the New Zealand Herald shares the editorial by researchers from the Leigh Marine Laboratory and provides an update on the numbers from the January report. Unfortunately, the numbers are higher: 92 species consumed in 125 countries. Yes, the U.S. is on that list of countries.
