Sea Mammals

Seals, dolphins, and porpoises do not figure largely in the diet of most modern Americans, though among the Inuit (Eskimo), seals and whales are harvested for food and ceremonial purposes as part of the preservation of Inuit culture. In the Canadian Maritime provinces, seal is captured and eaten, particularly in Newfoundland and Labrador. Historically, seal meat sustained explorers and adventurers in the Arctic and Antarctica.

At sea, American sailing ships caught dolphins and porpoises, and sailors cooked them for all the crew to eat, often in a dish called sea pie. The liver, often described as being very much like beef liver, was apportioned to the captain’s cabin. Porpoise is sometimes caught and marketed in Japan, though America regards this trade as illegal.