Demographic and geographic patterns of cetacean-based food product consumption and potential mercury exposure within a Caribbean whaling community

Abstract

Background: Exposure to mercury (Hg) through the consumption of seafood is a major public health concern. The tissues of high trophic level marine organisms, such as cetaceans, often contain high concentrations of Hg compared to lower trophic level species. The archipelagic Caribbean nation of St. Vincent & the Grenadines supports two related whaling operations, which produce food from cetaceans for human consumption. A recent study reported that Hg concentrations in tissue samples from one of these whaling operations exceed recommended consumption limits. Our objective was to determine the role of cetacean-based food products in the diet of the Vincentian population as a proxy for exposure to MeHg. Methods: We conducted interviews with 921 members of the Vincentian public. We asked questions about the types of food consumed, frequency of consumption, and quantities consumed. Based upon provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) guidelines for methylmercury (MeHg) from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), we determined safe weekly consumption amounts for speci c cetacean-based food products, based upon reported consumption patterns. Results: We found cetacean-based food products to be included in the diet of 77.4 percent of respondents. Respondents' gender and geographical home region are the most predictive attributes for cetacean-based food product consumption, whereas socioeconomic status and age play a minor role and no role, respectively. Frequency and amount of consumption vary, but generally exceed calculated safe weekly consumption amounts. Conclusions: The consumption of cetacean-based food products by members of the Vincentian public may represent a public health risk, as data indicate that a large portion of the population may be exposed to concentrations of MeHg in excess of recommended limits. Any potential action to address this risk is likely to be most effective if targeted toward the speci c high-consumption population segments identi ed by our study.

Artisanal and Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Eastern Caribbean): History, Catch Characteristics, and Needs for Research and Management

“…When researchers were absent from the field site, communication with whalers and other local experts was maintained via email and online messaging. Field methods also included dietary surveys among potential whale-based food product consumers in the general public (n = 921, see Fielding et al, 2021); archival research; and tissue sample collection for ecotoxicological analysis (see McCormack et al, 2020). Whaling methods were investigated through interview surveys with whalers, archival research, and field observations.…”

“…The health implications of mercury intake are significant, but poorly understood. Additional recent studies have shown that the vast majority (77.4%) of the SVG population consumes cetaceanbased food products, often in excess of safe weekly limits (Fielding et al, 2021). Investigating the health effects of cetacean products is critical from a public health perspective.…”

“…The second whaling operation, based on the island of Bequia, targets humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) during their annual migration from their summer feeding grounds in the North Atlantic (Swartz et al, 2003;Stevick et al, 2018). The main product of both operations is food for human consumption, specifically meat, blubber, and some internal organs (Fielding, 2018;Fielding et al, 2021). Oil is also produced in both operations and is used locally as an oral and topical medicine, for cooking, and for other household purposes.…”

“…Very limited research has been carried out to describe whaling activities in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, including its history, whaling practices and methods, and the magnitude of catches (species composition and numbers, but see Caldwell and Caldwell, 1975;Price, 1985;Fielding, 2018). Recent research, however, suggests that high levels of mercury in small cetacean tissues may represent a risk to the health of cetacean-product consumers in SVG (McCormack et al, 2020;Fielding et al, 2021). Here we review all available information documented since 1949 on whaling practices in SVG, with a special focus on small cetacean hunting using the available literature (1881-2020) and field data collected from 2007 and 2017, where whaling activities have been the focus of a dedicated multi-year research program.…”

Whalers in “A Post-Whaling World”: Sustainable Conservation of Marine Mammals and Sustainable Development of Whaling Communities—With a Case Study from the Eastern Caribbean

“…Harpooned whales are hauled alongside or into the boat and brought to shore to be processed into food for human consumption. The first line of research to be discussed here considers the patterns of consumption of, and demand for, odontocete-based food products within the SVG public; these patterns of consumption and demand drive current levels of exploitation [11]. It is noted, though, that the impact of this exploitation on regional odontocete populations is difficult to determine in the absence of baseline data on the size and structure of the odontocete populations [9].…”