Science News
Environmental impact of whaling
PUBLICATION — Majewski W., Szczuciński W., Pawłowska J., Szymczak-Żyła M., Lubecki L., Niedzielski P. 2024. Environmental degradation and recovery after termination of whaling in sub-Antarctic fjord, South Georgia. Science of the Total Environment 957: 177536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177536
Figure: view of the former Whaling station at Grytviken. Photo. W. Szczuciński.
As late as in the mid-1960s, whales were still being intensively harvested and processed in South Georgia. The industrial scale of these activities was unique in the entire Southern Ocean. Studies of marine sediments, using geochemical and biological indicators, have captured the overwhelming environmental impact of these activities in the vicinity of Grytviken. We traced the process of ecosystem revival and, to our surprise, the marked changes already taking place in the 21st century due to increased tourism.