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Paper short abstract:

This paper showcases whaling operations developed in Portugal and in territories formerly under Portuguese rule, from the medieval period to the 20th century. It discusses the overlapping or transitioning between whaling styles or hunting areas, and environmental, colonial, and economic drivers.

Paper long abstract:

Addressing transversely the historical practices of marine extraction and exploitation is of particular relevance in the understanding of global human activities and impacts on the oceans. Whaling should be placed at the core of these dynamics. With evidence from the first human coastal settlements to nowadays controversial operations, the hunting of cetaceans has happened worldwide along history with strong impacts both for human societies and animal populations. In this paper we explore whaling operations developed in Portugal and in territories formerly under Portuguese rule, from the medieval period to the 20th century, as a showcase of long-term transformations and adaptations towards the capture and consumption of whales’ species and products. For that, we have been conducting a systematic literature review together with a critical analysis of documental sources and material remains to assess the historical processes and contexts, to identify target species and to estimate the size of the catches. We aim at identifying and mapping whaling operations using coastal stations in northern and southern regions. We will centre our discussion on moments of overlapping or transitioning between whaling styles or hunting areas, while questioning environmental, colonial, and economic drivers.