Bowhead whales have long been targeted by humans for food and other purposes because they are slow swimmers with high blubber content that helps them float. They have been targeted by subsistence Inuit hunters since as early as 1100 A.D., but were severely depleted when the commercial whaling industry took off in the mid-19th century. As a result of careful management, both the Eastern and Western populations have recovered enough to sustain a small subsistence harvest in Canada. Harvesting bowhead whales is important for Inuit and other northern peoples to retain cultural and traditional practices. All parts of a whale are used and nothing is wasted: for example, bones can be used for tools such as sled runners and shelter scaffolding, oils for heat and light, blubber for food, and baleen for rope. Climate change has resulted in a warmer Arctic with less sea ice. The increased access to northern areas that were once inaccessible due to ice has intensified industrial activities. As Arctic waters become busier, bowhead whales could be at a greater risk of a vessel strike or entanglement, as well as being affected by noise pollution.