Even as early as the 16th Century, once the Mediterranean Monk Seal Dampier in 1675 remarked "...there being here such plenty of fowls and seals (especially of the latter) that the Spaniards do often come hither to make Oyl of their fat" and that "it has been visited by the Englishmen from Jamaica, particularly by Captain Long: who having the Command of a small Bark, came hither purposely to make seal-Oyl."
The particular attraction of the Monk Seal was its characteristically large size and forty years later, sealing had become a major occupation in the Caribbean. Sir Hans Sloane in his 'History of Jamaica' said that "the Bahama Islands are filled with Seals, sometimes Fishers will catch one hundred in a night. They fry or melt them and bring off their oil for lamps to the Island.
The hunting continued and escalated throughout the next two centuries and by 1885 the Caribbean population had been annihilated; hardly a seal could be found. Thousands had been slaughtered for oil, meat and hides.
