The business end of a killer whale is exposed as person remove the blubber from the head in Barrouallie on Sunday. (IWN photo)
Whalers in the Central Leeward town of Barrouallie were Sunday evening rushing to complete the processing of four killer whales (orcas) landed earlier that day.
The marine mammals, called “white fish” in Barrouallie, are not caught as often as pilot whales (“black fish”), the cetacean most often hunted as part of the decades-old tradition in the town.
The whalers say the orcas measured 40, 29, 22, and 18 feet long.
Whaling continues in Barrouallie and Bequia notwithstanding international and some local opposition.
When I-Witness News visited Barrouallie Sunday afternoon, groups of men and women were engaged in various activities surrounding the processing of the meat and oil.
One interesting observation was a group of men some distance away discussing whether there was a link between orcas being landed live and house fires in the town.
They noted that the last two occasions that a live orca was landed a building burned down, as was the case Saturday night.
8 replies on “IN PHOTOS: Four killer whales caught in Bagga”
peter says:
And the man has the audacity to wear the cross of Lord Jesus, what they have done is little more than pure evil, the work of Satan.
C. ben-David says:
Although Orcas or Orca whales, as they are more properly called, are not quite an endangered species (yet), it is a shame that these beautiful and intelligent mammals are still being caught for food. Just another example of our breadfruit mentality, as former PM Mitchel used to call our profound level of ignorance and complete disregard for environmental concerns.
No wonder that we have the present leadership — social, political, and intellectual — that we do.
Patrick Ferrari says:
Mankind is a cancer.
Neil Hutchinson says:
This is a real shame and will make me seriously reconsider coming back for Bequia regatta. I have been for the last 4 or 5 years and enjoyed it, but if this is condoned by st.vincent and the greadines then I will have to go elsewhere.. come on guys – wake up and embrace the beautiful environment you have……..dont destroy it!!!!
doctor says:
Friends, please DO NOT eat this meat! It is most likely VERY TOXIC. Whales that eat other fish are “apex predators” and the meat is full of MERCURY and other toxic POISONS!! do not eat this it will make you sick! If you have already eaten and you have any of the below effects GO TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY!!!
symptoms of mercury poisoning:
fatigue (feeling tired)
weakness
fever
chills
dizziness
headache
abdominal cramping
dyspnea (shortness of breath)
dysuria (trouble urinating)
ejaculatory pain
Visual disturbance (loss of sight, blurred vision)
Ataxia (loss of muscle control)
Paresthesias (pain/tingling in hands/feet)
Hearing loss
Dysarthria (difficulty speaking)
Mental deterioration (anxiety, confusion)
Muscle tremor
Movement disorders
Paralysis and death
Naison says:
Really? first of all Neil you don’t have to come back. Second of all this is our lifestyle our tradition which has slowly been drained away by Folks like ya’ll. Peter since you want to throw the lord Jesus name into the mix he also said judge not lest ye be judged. i am sure you are living the life of a saint.
in 2013 there were an estimated 50 000 Killer whales. they kill 4. but not for sport or because they just don’t like them. the killed them for food and the whale oil will serve other purposes as will the bones. “beautiful and intelligent Mammals” do you know what Orcas eat? some of them eat other whales. have you ever seen a pod of Orcas toying with a baby seal? News flash Mr ben-David we are mammals too intelligent and beautiful some more than others.
peter says:
Naison, it doesn’t matter what ignorant input or spin you put on this matter you cannot make wrong right.
In late 2005, the population of killer whales that inhabit British Columbia and Washington state waters were placed on the U.S. Endangered Species list.
Worldwide population estimates are uncertain, but recent consensus suggests about 50,000. Estimates include roughly 25,000 in the Antarctic, 8,500 in the tropical Pacific, 2,2502,700 off the cooler northeast Pacific and 5001,500 off Norway.[109] Japan’s Fisheries Agency estimated 2,321 killer whales were in the seas around Japan. There are very few now left in the Eastern Caribbean where numbers including pilot whales and dolphin have been hunted to rapidly to approaching extinction.
There is pretence in SVG that catching whales is a traditional aboriginal operation. That is a downright untruth. There have never been found whale bone in any Carib archaeological sites anywhere in the Eastern Caribbean.
Whale hunting first started in the Grenadines about 160 years ago when Canadian whalers came here and introduced the whaling as an industry. At the time there was no electricity and whale oil was used worldwide for the lamps at night, and the meat was eaten because there were no big chicken farms or such like. To say the whaling is a traditional and aboriginal is untrue and a fiction put forward as an excuse to ply this now detestable unforgivable behaviour.
There is no reason in this day and age to catch and kill whales, even the small pilot whales that they kill and call black fish, they call it that because they want to hide their disgusting behaviour in the slaughter of such creatures.
There is so much chicken and other products, the slaughter of whales is totally unnecessary. Its a crime against nature in this day and age to kill anything in the wild that cannot be eaten within one or two days of catching it.
As for what they eat, they eat whatever they can that is nature, and cannot be offered as any reason whatsoever to kill them. Unlike man they only kill what they can eat at the time of killing.
I could have lived with the killing of one for the purpose of food, but to kill the whole pod is a nasty greedy destructive and inhumane action. But even killing one today is unnecessary and inhumane.
And the man has the audacity to wear the cross of Lord Jesus, what they have done is little more than pure evil, the work of Satan.
Although Orcas or Orca whales, as they are more properly called, are not quite an endangered species (yet), it is a shame that these beautiful and intelligent mammals are still being caught for food. Just another example of our breadfruit mentality, as former PM Mitchel used to call our profound level of ignorance and complete disregard for environmental concerns.
No wonder that we have the present leadership — social, political, and intellectual — that we do.
Mankind is a cancer.
This is a real shame and will make me seriously reconsider coming back for Bequia regatta. I have been for the last 4 or 5 years and enjoyed it, but if this is condoned by st.vincent and the greadines then I will have to go elsewhere.. come on guys – wake up and embrace the beautiful environment you have……..dont destroy it!!!!
Friends, please DO NOT eat this meat! It is most likely VERY TOXIC. Whales that eat other fish are “apex predators” and the meat is full of MERCURY and other toxic POISONS!! do not eat this it will make you sick! If you have already eaten and you have any of the below effects GO TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY!!!
symptoms of mercury poisoning:
fatigue (feeling tired)
weakness
fever
chills
dizziness
headache
abdominal cramping
dyspnea (shortness of breath)
dysuria (trouble urinating)
ejaculatory pain
Visual disturbance (loss of sight, blurred vision)
Ataxia (loss of muscle control)
Paresthesias (pain/tingling in hands/feet)
Hearing loss
Dysarthria (difficulty speaking)
Mental deterioration (anxiety, confusion)
Muscle tremor
Movement disorders
Paralysis and death
Really? first of all Neil you don’t have to come back. Second of all this is our lifestyle our tradition which has slowly been drained away by Folks like ya’ll. Peter since you want to throw the lord Jesus name into the mix he also said judge not lest ye be judged. i am sure you are living the life of a saint.
in 2013 there were an estimated 50 000 Killer whales. they kill 4. but not for sport or because they just don’t like them. the killed them for food and the whale oil will serve other purposes as will the bones. “beautiful and intelligent Mammals” do you know what Orcas eat? some of them eat other whales. have you ever seen a pod of Orcas toying with a baby seal? News flash Mr ben-David we are mammals too intelligent and beautiful some more than others.
Naison, it doesn’t matter what ignorant input or spin you put on this matter you cannot make wrong right.
In late 2005, the population of killer whales that inhabit British Columbia and Washington state waters were placed on the U.S. Endangered Species list.
Worldwide population estimates are uncertain, but recent consensus suggests about 50,000. Estimates include roughly 25,000 in the Antarctic, 8,500 in the tropical Pacific, 2,2502,700 off the cooler northeast Pacific and 5001,500 off Norway.[109] Japan’s Fisheries Agency estimated 2,321 killer whales were in the seas around Japan. There are very few now left in the Eastern Caribbean where numbers including pilot whales and dolphin have been hunted to rapidly to approaching extinction.
There is pretence in SVG that catching whales is a traditional aboriginal operation. That is a downright untruth. There have never been found whale bone in any Carib archaeological sites anywhere in the Eastern Caribbean.
Whale hunting first started in the Grenadines about 160 years ago when Canadian whalers came here and introduced the whaling as an industry. At the time there was no electricity and whale oil was used worldwide for the lamps at night, and the meat was eaten because there were no big chicken farms or such like. To say the whaling is a traditional and aboriginal is untrue and a fiction put forward as an excuse to ply this now detestable unforgivable behaviour.
There is no reason in this day and age to catch and kill whales, even the small pilot whales that they kill and call black fish, they call it that because they want to hide their disgusting behaviour in the slaughter of such creatures.
There is so much chicken and other products, the slaughter of whales is totally unnecessary. Its a crime against nature in this day and age to kill anything in the wild that cannot be eaten within one or two days of catching it.
As for what they eat, they eat whatever they can that is nature, and cannot be offered as any reason whatsoever to kill them. Unlike man they only kill what they can eat at the time of killing.
I could have lived with the killing of one for the purpose of food, but to kill the whole pod is a nasty greedy destructive and inhumane action. But even killing one today is unnecessary and inhumane.
Here, here, Peter!