In 1525, Basque whalers expanded their operations to Newfoundland, establishing seasonal whaling stations to hunt bowhead and right whales. This expansion was driven by the high demand for whale oil in Europe, which was used for lighting and lubrication. The Basque whaling industry significantly impacted the local economy and indigenous populations, leading to intense competition and ecological changes in the region. Their activities laid the groundwork for the later development of whaling practices in North America.

The Basque whaling expansion to Newfoundland contributed to early transatlantic exploration narratives that shaped European literary imaginations of distant oceans and indigenous encounters. Poets like Samuel Taylor Coleridge and John Keats drew inspiration from these narratives, exploring themes of adventure and the sublime in their works.