Since the 1800s, whales have been hunted at a large scale because of the wide array of products obtained from them. According to National Geographic, almost all whale parts can be commercialized. Their meat, skin, and organs are good protein, vitamin, and mineral sources. Their filter-feeding system, baleen, make baskets and roofing material. On the other hand, their bones are used in toolmaking and ceremonial items like masks. Aside from these parts, whale vomit, also known as ambergris, is harvested and sold for a very high price.
Ambergris Smuggling Rackets in India
In India, five smugglers were arrested by local authorities after looting 22 pounds of whale vomit near the coast of Tamil Nadu. The smuggled item, seized in the black market of the Tuticorin coast, is worth $3.8 million (Rs 31.67 crore).
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) received a tip-off, and after acting on the intel, the police set a trap to capture the smugglers. They apprehended the suspects in a vehicle near the Harbour Beach coast on the night of May 18. After searching the vehicle, the officers confiscated several pounds of whale vomit, and the smugglers admitted their involvement in the case. Among the five arrested smugglers, one was a native, and the other four were from Kerala.
Almost 100 pounds of whale vomit were smuggled out of India in the past two years, as confirmed by the DRI. Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) busted a similar smuggling racket in September 2022. During the entrapment operation, 4.12 kg of whale vomit worth $1.2 million (Rs 10 crore) was recovered. On the other hand, 9 kgs of whale vomit were seized by Mumbai police in two separate cases in the Mulund area in June 2021. This illegal activity poses a significant threat to the flora and fauna of the country.
Regulations on Harvesting Ambergris
Hunting for ambergris is prevalent not only in India but in other countries as well. As of now, various countries have different regulations for harvesting whale vomit.
In February 2022, smugglers in southern Turkey were arrested for hauling whale vomit. Authorities seized the suspects in the Mersin province as they attempted to import the substance and sell it locally.
In most countries, such as the U.K. and the rest of the E.U., it is legal to get chunks of whale vomit from the coast and sell them in online stores such as eBay. Although all species of whales and dolphins are protected under E.U. regulations, ambergris is treated differently. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), whale vomit is an excretion like urine or feces and is a by-product of the sperm whale. Under this definition, the E.U. supports ambergris is not covered and protected under the Convention.
Possessing or trading whale vomit in the U.S. and Australia is strictly prohibited. Australian authorities consider ambergris as a whale product, and its exports and imports are protected under section 13A of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999.
In the Philippines, environmental regulations such as Fisheries Administrative Regulation No. 198 and the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act prohibit the killing, buying, and trading all types of whales and dolphins and their products, including whale vomit.
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