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U.S. NEWS Friday 5 april 2019

Feds support tribe’s push for only whale hunt in mainland U.S.

By SALLY HO mendation back to NOAA groups have spent 20 years
Associated Press Fisheries for a final decision. fighting in court to stop their
SEATTLE (AP) — Federal of- If approved, the tribe can hunts. In 2004, the 9th U.S.
ficials are supporting a de- then apply for permits and Circuit Court of Appeals
cades hunts could begin as early said the tribe could not
long request by a Native as next year. obtain a waiver under the
American tribe in Washing- The tribe, based about Marine Mammal Protection
ton state to resume what 120 miles (193 kilometers) Act until an environmental
would be the only autho- northwest of Seattle along assessment was done.
rized whale hunts in the the Olympic Peninsula, has DJ Schubert, a wildlife bi-
mainland U.S., a long-held historically hunted whales ologist with the Animal
custom that animal rights and harvested those that Welfare Institute, said the
activists oppose as outdat- wash ashore. It’s a cen- tribe should not depend on In this Aug. 20, 1998 file photo, Makah Indians paddle away
ed and cruel. The National turies-old tradition for the whales for food and urged from the rising sun as they head from Neah Bay toward open
Pacific Ocean waters during a practice paddle ahead of its first
Oceanic and Atmospheric Makah people, who say it’s the tribe to consider other whale hunt in 70 years.
Administration on Thursday a cultural, spiritual and sub- options, such as operating Associated Press
announced its proposal to sistence need that’s been whale watching tours to removed from the federal probably as large as it’s
allow the Makah tribe to limited for nearly 100 years. generate revenue. endangered species list in ever been,” Milstein said.
hunt one to three Eastern Makah Tribal Councilman “The Makah have no nu- 1994. NOAA spokesman Mi- Milstein said authorities
North Pacific gray whales Patrick DePoe said the vast tritional subsistence need. chael Milstein said its most would monitor the hunts
annually over a 10-year majority of the 2,800 mem- Without gray whales, recent study in 2014 sug- and the animal’s numbers.
period off the Washington bers — including 1,100 who they’ve survived quite well gested that more than 600 If approved, the permits
coast. Tribes in Alaska and still live in the area — want for 90 years,” Schubert said. Eastern North Pacific gray would restrict when and
other parts of the world le- to return to their native diet Though the Makah are whales could be removed how many hunts can take
gally hunt whales, which by reintroducing whale guaranteed whaling rights each year without affect- place to minimize the risks
they rely on for food. meat and blubber. under their 1855 treaty with ing the animal’s long-term to other whales known
The move marks the stron- “This is laying out a path of the U.S., they stopped hunt- sustainability. There are to migrate to the area.
gest federal support that healing for my community ing voluntarily in the 1920s now about 27,000 of the That includes the Western
the Makah tribe has re- and is going to be healing after commercial whaling whales, he said. North Pacific gray whale,
ceived, though it still faces for future generations,” De- decimated gray whales. “This gray whale population which is endangered, and
a court hearing in August. Poe said. The tribe sought to resume at this point is very healthy the Pacific Coast feeding
A judge will make a recom- Animal welfare and other hunts after the species was and fully recovered and group.q