Due to their position at the top of the marine food chain, pilot whales have been shown to accumulate high levels of contaminants such as mercury (in the meat and organs) and organochlorines (in the blubber). The possible long-term effects of these contaminant levels on human health are being closely monitored. Since the late 1970s, the Faroese Food and Veterinary Agency has advised against the consumption of pilot whale liver and kidney due to high mercury concentrations in these organs.
In 1998, revised dietary recommendations for maximum levels of consumption of meat and blubber were issued, based on more recent research into the health effects of pilot whale meat and blubber in the diet. This research suggests a correlation between high levels of mercury intake and some subtle aspects of neurological development in Faroese children. The recommended levels of consumption are therefore intended to safeguard consumers against these possible effects, while at the same time acknowledging the health benefits of whale meat and blubber in general.
On-going monitoring of contaminant loads in the marine environment around the Faroe Islands is carried out by the Faroese Environment Agency. Contaminant loads in pilot whales are an obvious source of concern, but are not a reason to stop whaling. Possible health risks must be balanced against the documented health benefits of a marine-based diet rich in polyunsaturated fats and lean, protein-rich meat. The environmental and health effects of substituting this local natural resource in the Faroese diet with industrially produced farmed foods imported from other countries have not been assessed.
The seas around the Faroese are among the cleanest in the world. The pollutants in pilot whales are transported over long distances and accumulate up through the marine food chain to toothed whales such as pilot whales. These contaminants derive mainly from heavy industries and industrialised agricultural processes in large urbanised countries far from the waters around the Faroes. This is a matter of considerable concern to the Faroes, which are so dependent on the sea and its resources for their livelihood.
The elimination of these pollutants at their source should be the major focus of concerted action today by governments, industries and serious environmental organisations everywhere. |
