Monday 16 September 2013

Seal of approval?

Visitors to Bardsey are often struck by the large number of seals that make their home there. Seals numbers are recovering well since the Conservation of Seals Act was passed in 1970, and there are no natural predators in UK waters.



However in other parts of the world, seals are not so lucky. In northern Canada and Alaska, their list of predators includes man, as seals are apparently quite good to eat. Although seals have a thick layer of fatty blubber, the muscle tissue itself is very lean, making them quite a healthy source of protein, particularly for isolated communities of native Canadians who are too far north to keep livestock. Presumably Bardsey island dwellers in times gone by would have used the seal oil to light lamps and perhaps also eaten them. Does anybody know? If so, let us know in the comment section below. I have looked up recipes on the internet and found this from 1955 - http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1950s/1955/07/the-way-eskimo-cooked-seal-meat



No comments:

Post a Comment