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U.S. NEWS Saturday 9 June 2018

APNewsBreak: U.S. won't prosecute Alaska gray whale kill

By RACHEL D'ORO know and abide by the
Associated Press law and specified the
ANCHORAGE, Alaska limitations of subsistence
(AP) — Native hunters whaling — detailing what
from Alaska will not be is required to lawfully hunt
prosecuted after they used and harvest whales," the
harpoons and guns last NOAA statement said. "This
year to kill a protected gray outreach strengthened
whale that strayed into a compliance relationships
river from the North Pacific and information sharing
Ocean. between the villages."
The National Oceanic and But leaders of those
Atmospheric Administration communities said knew
instead sent three letters nothing about the warning
advising villages about from the federal agency.
the limits to subsistence "I would also like to know
whaling, the agency said about this letter," Napaskiak
in a statement provided tribal administrator Sharon
to The Associated Press. Williams said in a telephone
Federal law prohibits the interview.
killing of gray whales even The Washington, D.C.-
though Alaska Natives are based Animal Welfare
allowed to kill other whales. Institute criticized the
The massive animal strayed agency for not seeking
into the Kuskokwim River prosecution of people who
near the Yup'ik village of killed the whale.
Napaskiak and was killed "The reality here is that
on July 27, 2017 in a region the law was broken," said
where indigenous residents DJ Schubert, an institute
rely on subsistence fishing wildlife biologist.
and hunting as part of In a similar case in 2016,
their ancient culture and Native Alaska villagers
traditions. in Toksook Bay killed a
The 37-foot (11-meter) protected humpback
whale was cut up, with whale in an event that
about 20,000 pounds prompted an investigation This July 29, 2017, photo provided by KYUK Public Media shows a gray whale being butchered
(9,100 kilograms) of meat by the NOAA that also did near Napaskiak, Alaska, with the meat being distributed among several villages.
and blubber reportedly not result in prosecution. Associated Press
distributed among Last year's killing of the gray
Alaska Natives in several whale was a welcome north are authorized by The gray whales feed in
communities including respite for Native Alaska the International Whaling the Bering, Chukchi and
Napaskiak, Bethel, Tuluksak residents who got the Commission to hunt Beaufort seas in summer
and Atmautluak. whale's meat and blubber bowhead whales. and migrate down the
NOAA spokeswoman because much of the But Eastern Pacific gray West Coast each winter to
Jennie Lyons declined to salmon they had harvested whales, also called breed, mostly in the bays of
say where the letters were was ruined by heavy rains California gray whales, are Baja California.
sent. She said investigators that prevented the fish that protected by federal rules. In 1994, the whales
would not provide the was being dried outside The animals are a familiar were removed from the
names of the communities from preserving properly, sight in Alaska waters, but endangered species list,
and declined a request to Williams said last year. villagers said they had and only a small number are
be interviewed. Subsistence hunting of never seen one go into the allowed by the International
"These letters formally smaller beluga whales is Kuskokwim River before last Whaling Commission to
advised the villages of allowed in the region. And year's sighting of the whale be harvested by Russian
their responsibility to 11 Native villages farther that was killed. hunters.q