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We Are All Whalers: The Plight of Whales and Our Responsibility
Relating his experiences caring for endangered whales, a veterinarian and marine scientist shows we can all share in the salvation of these imperiled animals. The image most of us have of whalers includes harpoons and intentional trauma. Yet eating commercially caught seafood leads to whales’ entanglement and slow death in rope and nets, and the global shipping routes that bring us readily available goods often lead to death by collision. We—all of us—are whalers, marine scientist and veterinarian Michael J. Moore contends. But we do not have to be. Drawing on over forty years of fieldwork with humpback, pilot, fin, and, in particular, North Atlantic right whales—a species whose population has declined more than 20 percent since 2017—Moore takes us with him as he performs whale necropsies on animals stranded on beaches, in his independent research alongside whalers using explosive harpoons, and as he tracks injured whales to deliver sedatives. The whales’ plight is a complex, confounding, and disturbing one. We learn of existing but poorly enforced conservation laws and of perennial (and often failed) efforts to balance the push for fisheries profit versus the protection of endangered species caught by accident. But despite these challenges, Moore’s tale is an optimistic one. He shows us how technologies for ropeless fishing and the acoustic tracking of whale migrations make a dramatic difference. And he looks ahead with hope as our growing understanding of these extraordinary creatures fuels an ever-stronger drive for change. For more information on Moore’s book and research, please visit his webpage at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
233 pages, Paperback
Published September 7, 2022
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August 27, 2024Written by a highly respected Cambridge-trained expert and veterinary scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, this book has a somewhat contentious or controversial thesis: that the primary target to blame for the deaths of whales around the world shouldn't be commercial whalers or harpoonists. The author states that harpooning is actually the quickest and most painless way to kill a whale, amounting to around 3 minutes from tip shot to time of death. Rather, the author forcefully argues, we are all complicit in the perishing and endangerment of whales, given that we all exist in a consumerist society, that we eat seafood and/or partake in goods that need to be internationally transported via shipping vessels.
The reason that these global supply chains directly harm whales are versatile but direct. Primarily, commercial fishing for fish, lobsters and crabs use trap lines and nets made of ropes that lead to entanglement of whales. Entanglement can lead to slow deaths via starvation over months as the whales languish in roped imprisonment, or fast deaths due to asphyxiation as the whales are prevented from surfacing, or more long-term deaths as the whales succeed in freeing themselves but the ropes continue to bind their tails, eventually cutting into major arteries or dragging them down to heavy weights. Such deaths are often undercounted because the perished whales are often starved of their fat and blubber that they sink to the deeps instead of floating.
Rope entanglement is just one major reason for the high mortality counts of whales due to human effects. Another major reason for whale harm is vehicle collision with these gigantic ships of industrial transport of goods, either by direct impact with the ship's bows, or by painful incisions and lacerations due to contact with ship propellers. These cuts can hit the internal organs, or they can hit the tail flukes or blood vessels, or even just the skin, or bump the skull. As can be imagined, none of these contact with human affairs end in pleasant ways for whales. Other ways, according to this book, that we affect whales' quality of life include dumping poisonous contaminants in their environments; adding noise stress to their vicinity; and of course butchering of beached dolphins and whales. Furthermore, the cumulative trauma of all these stressors, rope entanglement and ship bumps in particular, have drastically reduced their pregnancy rates and represent ominous threats to the future of whaling populations.
This all makes sense, however both things can simultaneously be true: Industries can be consumer-driven and we all consume food and goods in a way that's dangerously impacting the population numbers of whales-- and leisure-driven or culture-driven mass butchering of whales is not a cause to protect. The author makes the point that Arctic Indigenous people's practices of whale harvest are highly sustainable and respectful and holistically integrated to their culture. This is beside the point, because it is not Indigenous people's practices that are being criticized or highly targeted by anti-whaling groups. Instead, the focus of attention and demands is on wealthy cultures that don't need to continue this practice but choose to do so for leisure and enjoyment. This pertains to specific first-world countries that are still part of that united whaling consortium. The practices of Indigenous people should not be used to shield the other ones from criticism. It is not the Arctic Indigenous who are responsible or criticized for the viscerally affecting images of bloodied beaches of mass whale hunts that splash front news pages and spark outrage for the laissez-faire attitude towards whales.
The book also addresses some solutions to the situation of whales. Solutions to fishing impediments to whale welfare, include: slowing down commercial ship speeds; adjusting ship lanes away from known whale hotspots; modifying gear, such as trawls and rope lines, to lessen hurt of whales.
This is a highly recommended and educational memoir from one of the top whale scientists of the world.
The reason that these global supply chains directly harm whales are versatile but direct. Primarily, commercial fishing for fish, lobsters and crabs use trap lines and nets made of ropes that lead to entanglement of whales. Entanglement can lead to slow deaths via starvation over months as the whales languish in roped imprisonment, or fast deaths due to asphyxiation as the whales are prevented from surfacing, or more long-term deaths as the whales succeed in freeing themselves but the ropes continue to bind their tails, eventually cutting into major arteries or dragging them down to heavy weights. Such deaths are often undercounted because the perished whales are often starved of their fat and blubber that they sink to the deeps instead of floating.
Rope entanglement is just one major reason for the high mortality counts of whales due to human effects. Another major reason for whale harm is vehicle collision with these gigantic ships of industrial transport of goods, either by direct impact with the ship's bows, or by painful incisions and lacerations due to contact with ship propellers. These cuts can hit the internal organs, or they can hit the tail flukes or blood vessels, or even just the skin, or bump the skull. As can be imagined, none of these contact with human affairs end in pleasant ways for whales. Other ways, according to this book, that we affect whales' quality of life include dumping poisonous contaminants in their environments; adding noise stress to their vicinity; and of course butchering of beached dolphins and whales. Furthermore, the cumulative trauma of all these stressors, rope entanglement and ship bumps in particular, have drastically reduced their pregnancy rates and represent ominous threats to the future of whaling populations.
This all makes sense, however both things can simultaneously be true: Industries can be consumer-driven and we all consume food and goods in a way that's dangerously impacting the population numbers of whales-- and leisure-driven or culture-driven mass butchering of whales is not a cause to protect. The author makes the point that Arctic Indigenous people's practices of whale harvest are highly sustainable and respectful and holistically integrated to their culture. This is beside the point, because it is not Indigenous people's practices that are being criticized or highly targeted by anti-whaling groups. Instead, the focus of attention and demands is on wealthy cultures that don't need to continue this practice but choose to do so for leisure and enjoyment. This pertains to specific first-world countries that are still part of that united whaling consortium. The practices of Indigenous people should not be used to shield the other ones from criticism. It is not the Arctic Indigenous who are responsible or criticized for the viscerally affecting images of bloodied beaches of mass whale hunts that splash front news pages and spark outrage for the laissez-faire attitude towards whales.
The book also addresses some solutions to the situation of whales. Solutions to fishing impediments to whale welfare, include: slowing down commercial ship speeds; adjusting ship lanes away from known whale hotspots; modifying gear, such as trawls and rope lines, to lessen hurt of whales.
This is a highly recommended and educational memoir from one of the top whale scientists of the world.
March 3, 2022
Humans have hunted whales for longer than 1000 years. There was a time when landing one of these great beasts was enough to feed an entire village for many months. But since the 1890s, most nations stopped actively hunting wild whales because they had nearly driven them extinct, especially the whales in the northern Atlantic Ocean. However, wild whales are still dying prematurely, and as a result, some species remain critically endangered to this very day. The North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, is facing the most dire situation, with fewer than 350 individuals alive today.
The North Atlantic right whale’s precarious circumstance is directly attributable to people. Now, we are killing whales with ship strikes or entanglement in fishing gear. The material goods that we buy often arrive at major sea ports after traveling global shipping routes that often traverse waters where whales feed or rest, putting them at risk of a ship strike. But entanglement in abandoned gill nets or in ropes attached to commercial lobster or snow crab traps claim the most lives, but only after the entangled whale has suffered an excruciatingly painful and protracted death. Additionally, ocean noise created by ships adds to these animals’ stress levels to the point where they are unable to reproduce and may interfere with their ability to communicate with each other.
Killing whales is a thing that we all — even us vegans — participate in and are responsible for, argues marine scientist and veterinarian Michael Moore in his new book, We Are All Whalers: The Plight of Whales and Our Responsibility (University of Chicago Press; 2021).
In this readable book, we follow the author through 40 years of fieldwork with a variety of whales — humpback, fin, pilot and especially North Atlantic right whales, whose population has declined more than 20% since 2017. Readers stand on the beach alongside the author whilst he performs necropsies on dead whales to learn how they died, we listen in on conversations with lobster fishermen as they discuss their fishing methods, and we watch as whales are killed using explosive harpoons. (Cough, cough, um, thank you, Iceland. Not really.) We also learn what attracted the author to whales as a young boy, and we come to understand that the plight of whales is complex, confounding, and disturbing, and results from poorly enforced conservation laws, as well as fishermens’ never ending quest for profit.
This book was a sobering read for me because the author details the whales’ deaths and are quite gruesome. As a zoologist with a lot of experience teaching comparative anatomy and physiology at the university level, it was all too easy for me to imagine the long, lingering and painful deaths these magnificent animals experienced as the result of a ship strike or, worse, entanglement in ropes attached to lobster or snow crab traps. But understanding the pain that all whales experience (more than 300,000 each year that we are aware of) by drowning after being struck by ships or maimed by fishing gear as a direct result of our actions is essential. Without this information, neither readers nor consumers would care enough to force changes to how their lobsters and crabs are caught, and how their material goods are shipped long distance.
You might think that this adventure makes for some mighty grim reading but actually, it is profoundly optimistic. Dr Moore shows us how new technologies for rope-less fishing and the acoustic tracking of whale migrations make a dramatic difference, especially for preventing accidental collisions. We also clearly see that Dr Moore took every whale’s suffering and death to heart and this motivated him to continually work to improve his methods, even when his own health was compromised.
“The goal of this book is to help consumers understand what is going on, and what they can do about the problem”, writes Dr Moore on the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute website. “Actively demanding truly sustainable seafood. Telling your representatives how much you genuinely care to purchase goods and seafood that have been obtained sustainably.”
This impassioned book is beautifully written and will appeal to a wide audience. In this book, Dr Moore skilfully walks the fine line between anthropomorphism and anthropogenic responsibility. If we open our hearts and minds to the needless suffering that wild whales experience for our convenience, and take the responsibility to change our actions, he argues, there is hope, even for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.
NOTE: Originally published at Forbes.com on 20 December 2021.
The North Atlantic right whale’s precarious circumstance is directly attributable to people. Now, we are killing whales with ship strikes or entanglement in fishing gear. The material goods that we buy often arrive at major sea ports after traveling global shipping routes that often traverse waters where whales feed or rest, putting them at risk of a ship strike. But entanglement in abandoned gill nets or in ropes attached to commercial lobster or snow crab traps claim the most lives, but only after the entangled whale has suffered an excruciatingly painful and protracted death. Additionally, ocean noise created by ships adds to these animals’ stress levels to the point where they are unable to reproduce and may interfere with their ability to communicate with each other.
Killing whales is a thing that we all — even us vegans — participate in and are responsible for, argues marine scientist and veterinarian Michael Moore in his new book, We Are All Whalers: The Plight of Whales and Our Responsibility (University of Chicago Press; 2021).
In this readable book, we follow the author through 40 years of fieldwork with a variety of whales — humpback, fin, pilot and especially North Atlantic right whales, whose population has declined more than 20% since 2017. Readers stand on the beach alongside the author whilst he performs necropsies on dead whales to learn how they died, we listen in on conversations with lobster fishermen as they discuss their fishing methods, and we watch as whales are killed using explosive harpoons. (Cough, cough, um, thank you, Iceland. Not really.) We also learn what attracted the author to whales as a young boy, and we come to understand that the plight of whales is complex, confounding, and disturbing, and results from poorly enforced conservation laws, as well as fishermens’ never ending quest for profit.
This book was a sobering read for me because the author details the whales’ deaths and are quite gruesome. As a zoologist with a lot of experience teaching comparative anatomy and physiology at the university level, it was all too easy for me to imagine the long, lingering and painful deaths these magnificent animals experienced as the result of a ship strike or, worse, entanglement in ropes attached to lobster or snow crab traps. But understanding the pain that all whales experience (more than 300,000 each year that we are aware of) by drowning after being struck by ships or maimed by fishing gear as a direct result of our actions is essential. Without this information, neither readers nor consumers would care enough to force changes to how their lobsters and crabs are caught, and how their material goods are shipped long distance.
You might think that this adventure makes for some mighty grim reading but actually, it is profoundly optimistic. Dr Moore shows us how new technologies for rope-less fishing and the acoustic tracking of whale migrations make a dramatic difference, especially for preventing accidental collisions. We also clearly see that Dr Moore took every whale’s suffering and death to heart and this motivated him to continually work to improve his methods, even when his own health was compromised.
“The goal of this book is to help consumers understand what is going on, and what they can do about the problem”, writes Dr Moore on the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute website. “Actively demanding truly sustainable seafood. Telling your representatives how much you genuinely care to purchase goods and seafood that have been obtained sustainably.”
This impassioned book is beautifully written and will appeal to a wide audience. In this book, Dr Moore skilfully walks the fine line between anthropomorphism and anthropogenic responsibility. If we open our hearts and minds to the needless suffering that wild whales experience for our convenience, and take the responsibility to change our actions, he argues, there is hope, even for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.
NOTE: Originally published at Forbes.com on 20 December 2021.
June 25, 2022
The postscripts made me flat-out weep. The title is extremely compelling and well-chosen; this thesis is confirmed throughout the book. Intentional, industrial whaling is an issue so polarizing in popular media and conversation, and the author is very right to liken capitalist consumer culture to conventional whaling in its effects on whale populations the world over.
This is an excellent book on an underexposed (as far as coverage on the internet is concerned) whale species and the main threats to its continued very existence on our planet, outlined and supported by the author’s veterinary and field experience.
I think it’s a well-rounded book, all parts included work to form a comprehensive picture of not only facts but also motivations and background on part of the author, and I found the practical proposals of potential solutions outlined very helpful in terms of balancing the doom and gloom. It is, however, extremely difficult if not complex to feel desperate and beyond frustrated at the subject matter and regarding the future of these whales as people are not doing and not ready to commit nearly enough to save or even merely more effectively help these whales.
This book has done a great job in displaying not only the hard facts and findings and how scientists are going about their research processes and trying to find and negotiate solutions, but also in portraying the critical urgency of the situation and the tremendous suffering and agony inflicted on these whales for very extended periods of time when entangled, which is an aspect that often seems forgotten or highlighted too little on news coverage or conversation.
The highly detrimental effect of the drag and constriction of gear a whale is entangled in on its ability to feed, its fat and energy storage and resultant ability or inability to successfully produce and wean offspring and its ability to breathe and move is horrifying, traumatic and all-encompassing. I find these aspects urgently need to be addressed more whenever the plight of whales today is discussed as it means the odds are truly all stacked against the animals once they’re entangled, and it’s a mess we’ve made and are continuing to make even though there seem to be viable alternatives worth at least making every effort to invest in.
I will be reading this again and recommending it. This book should be required reading.
This is an excellent book on an underexposed (as far as coverage on the internet is concerned) whale species and the main threats to its continued very existence on our planet, outlined and supported by the author’s veterinary and field experience.
I think it’s a well-rounded book, all parts included work to form a comprehensive picture of not only facts but also motivations and background on part of the author, and I found the practical proposals of potential solutions outlined very helpful in terms of balancing the doom and gloom. It is, however, extremely difficult if not complex to feel desperate and beyond frustrated at the subject matter and regarding the future of these whales as people are not doing and not ready to commit nearly enough to save or even merely more effectively help these whales.
This book has done a great job in displaying not only the hard facts and findings and how scientists are going about their research processes and trying to find and negotiate solutions, but also in portraying the critical urgency of the situation and the tremendous suffering and agony inflicted on these whales for very extended periods of time when entangled, which is an aspect that often seems forgotten or highlighted too little on news coverage or conversation.
The highly detrimental effect of the drag and constriction of gear a whale is entangled in on its ability to feed, its fat and energy storage and resultant ability or inability to successfully produce and wean offspring and its ability to breathe and move is horrifying, traumatic and all-encompassing. I find these aspects urgently need to be addressed more whenever the plight of whales today is discussed as it means the odds are truly all stacked against the animals once they’re entangled, and it’s a mess we’ve made and are continuing to make even though there seem to be viable alternatives worth at least making every effort to invest in.
I will be reading this again and recommending it. This book should be required reading.
August 9, 2022
The best non-fiction book I have read this year. The author is a marine scientist and veterinarian.
I learned so much about controversy of possible whale entanglement in the lobster traps in the bay right outside my house. I had heard of buoyless acoustic trap retrieval systems being experimented with in the bay, but now I understand their need but also the controversy over the expense of retooling Maine lobster industry for the sake of whales.
In chapter six Moore tells of speaking at a 2005 conference, "I explained that chronically entangled whales lose so much weight that they sink when they die, and that therefore gear-induced mortality is underestimated more than ship kills. Often the animal is wrapped up in serial loops of rope (and sometimes net), with gear in the mouth or around the flipper, body, and peduncle."
In the final chapter he says, "If it were easy to fix this crisis, we all would have made it happen by now." p 157. And goes on to take the perspective of our grandchildren fifty years in the future: 1) "How could they have been so shortsighted as to demand affordable lobster and crab rolls, and cheap shipping of goods from overseas, despite the fact that they knew that the North Atlantic Right Whale species was headed for extinction?" or 2)"Finally, they all saw that there was a way for whales, fisheries, and ships to coexist. It just took some legislative, regulatory, and political honesty and fortitude..." pp175 &176.
I usually read fiction as I read non-fiction. As I was reading this book, I was also reading Paul Doiron's novel, Hatchet Island. There is a scene in the fictional books with and interaction with a lobster boat with a stern (bumper?)sticker that says, "Fuck the Whales." The boat also flew a pirate and a Confederate flag. We've had flags like that right here in our inner basin. But as yet I have not seen the stern sticker.
I learned so much about controversy of possible whale entanglement in the lobster traps in the bay right outside my house. I had heard of buoyless acoustic trap retrieval systems being experimented with in the bay, but now I understand their need but also the controversy over the expense of retooling Maine lobster industry for the sake of whales.
In chapter six Moore tells of speaking at a 2005 conference, "I explained that chronically entangled whales lose so much weight that they sink when they die, and that therefore gear-induced mortality is underestimated more than ship kills. Often the animal is wrapped up in serial loops of rope (and sometimes net), with gear in the mouth or around the flipper, body, and peduncle."
In the final chapter he says, "If it were easy to fix this crisis, we all would have made it happen by now." p 157. And goes on to take the perspective of our grandchildren fifty years in the future: 1) "How could they have been so shortsighted as to demand affordable lobster and crab rolls, and cheap shipping of goods from overseas, despite the fact that they knew that the North Atlantic Right Whale species was headed for extinction?" or 2)"Finally, they all saw that there was a way for whales, fisheries, and ships to coexist. It just took some legislative, regulatory, and political honesty and fortitude..." pp175 &176.
I usually read fiction as I read non-fiction. As I was reading this book, I was also reading Paul Doiron's novel, Hatchet Island. There is a scene in the fictional books with and interaction with a lobster boat with a stern (bumper?)sticker that says, "Fuck the Whales." The boat also flew a pirate and a Confederate flag. We've had flags like that right here in our inner basin. But as yet I have not seen the stern sticker.
July 4, 2024
This book isn't perfect, but the author makes a pretty good attempt.
This book details out the issues surrounding whale entanglement and that we need to do something about it - and even suggests what some solutions could be.
I had entered this book being sold on the idea of helping whales, and so I personally found it disappointing to finish the book feeling ill equipped on actionable items aside from "talk to your politicians/fish market". It would have been nice to see more focus at the end on groups that are doing the work so that there could be an actionable jumping off point. The book focuses on how consumers often don't know what is going on and what they can do about it, so some resolution that way would have been gratifying.
Overall, though, this has a spot on my shelf. It details clearly what risks whales are facing at the hands of every day consumers (even vegetarians and vegans) and I would recommend it fairly readily.
This book details out the issues surrounding whale entanglement and that we need to do something about it - and even suggests what some solutions could be.
I had entered this book being sold on the idea of helping whales, and so I personally found it disappointing to finish the book feeling ill equipped on actionable items aside from "talk to your politicians/fish market". It would have been nice to see more focus at the end on groups that are doing the work so that there could be an actionable jumping off point. The book focuses on how consumers often don't know what is going on and what they can do about it, so some resolution that way would have been gratifying.
Overall, though, this has a spot on my shelf. It details clearly what risks whales are facing at the hands of every day consumers (even vegetarians and vegans) and I would recommend it fairly readily.
March 22, 2025
Michael J. Moore, a marine scientist with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, is one of the foremost experts on the vanishing North American right whale. This impressive book details his vast knowledge gained from necropsies on stranded whales, research alongside whalers, and tracking migrations with acoustic gear. The plight of the endangered NARW is heartbreaking, but the author's passion for saving them is contagious. His efforts include pioneering the delivery of sedatives to assist in the rescue of whales entangled in fishing gear and attempting to persuade lobstermen to adopt humane traps that don't endanger marine mammals. The spectacular species faces human-induced threats to its survival, and this must-read book provides a factual analysis of conservation measures that can be deployed to reverse the tragedy.
July 29, 2024
Some scientists write "informal" books about science in the hopes of sharing their knowledge to a wider audience, but only manage to prove that they haven't spoken to a regular person about these topics in years. Moore so clearly does not have that problem. This book is one of the best books I've read that was written by a scientist about their discipline. Moore is fantastic at presenting scientific concepts in an easily digestible and understandable manner, without patronizing his audience. He also manages to see the big picture far better than most scientists, relating the struggles of the North Atlantic Right Whale to indigenous rights, capitalism, climate change, and humanity as a whole.
April 2, 2024
This book is spectacular. Moore takes us on a scientific and personal journey of coping with the history and reality of whaling. From the first page, I was drawn in by his writing and storytelling. I loved how he grappled with his work and prompted us to evaluate our role in the whaling dilemma without forcing his opinions on us. He provided realistic and scientifically-backed proposals for the future, while also highlighting the dire yet hopeful situation we are currently in. I cannot praise this book enough and thoroughly believe everyone should read it.
November 8, 2022
4.5 stars. I love Moore’s ability to tow the line between science and activism. Some species don’t have time for scientists to worry about being 100% “unbiased.” I also appreciated Moore’s perspective on the animal welfare concerns of entanglement - something I feel like us scientists are “afraid” to ever bring up for fear of anthropomorphizing. This book definitely reminds me that I, too, am a whaler and encourages me to be more conscious of the seafood I eat and the items I buy.
August 17, 2022
Not only is this book unsparing in its description of the plight of the North Atlantic Right Whale, but it's superbly written. Far from a clinical tone, Dr. Moore's prose is warm and eloquent. His passion for the preservation of whales is evident without ever resorting to preaching or sentimentality.
July 11, 2023
An intensely personal account, We Are All Whalers is a thought-provoking and disturbing book about the threat of fishing gear and shipping traffic to whales. Read my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2023...
July 7, 2025
A love letter to North Atlantic right whale conservation and an autobiography of the career of Dr. Michael Moore, widely considered one of the greatest whale biologists and veterinarians out there. Very informative on whale health monitoring tech and necropsies… wish it had a little more oomf in the ending?
July 21, 2022
So informative on the story of right whales and whaling. It really gives perspective on the experiences of entangled and struggling whales, and why we should care. A really good book for anyone, and is a great introduction into why we should care about the seafood we consume. Highly recommend:)
August 18, 2022
Really loved this book but in parts it got a little dull and I repeatedly became unengaged with it. Absolutely worth it for the conservation messaging & educational content, but it did knock it down a star for me. I still fully recommend everyone to read it
April 24, 2023
A really great account of what it’s like to be in the trenches with the endangered North Atlantic right whales. An honest, technical read, but worth it.
May 13, 2023
Everyone needs to read this book.
December 3, 2023
Quick read. Good reminder that we ALL impact nature.
March 21, 2024
Emotionally impactful, but there are structural and pacing issues.
June 27, 2024
Made me want to learn more.
January 28, 2024
Loved it!
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