In 1719, Dutch whalers began intensive hunting operations in Davis Strait, targeting bowhead whales for their valuable blubber and baleen. This marked the beginning of a significant whaling industry in the region, driven by European demand for whale products. The exploitation of bowhead whales had lasting ecological impacts and contributed to the broader narrative of resource extraction in the Arctic.

Bowhead whale hunting in the Davis Strait in 1719 contributed to the corpus of Arctic whaling accounts, influencing polar exploration literature. Poets like John Keats and Alfred Lord Tennyson reflected on the majesty of nature and the human struggle against the elements in their works.