Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 21 augusT 2018

APNewsBreak: Alaska Natives believed whale hunt was legal

By RACHEL D’ORO
Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)
— Indigenous hunters in
Alaska initially believed
they were legally hunting
a beluga whale when they
unlawfully killed a protect-
ed gray whale with har-
poons and guns after the
massive animal strayed into
a river last year, a federal
investigative report said.
After the shooting began,
the hunters then believed
the whale to be a bow-
head, according to the
report released to The As-
sociated Press last week
through a public records
request.
“The hunters also believed
that if they were the first
ones to shoot or harpoon
the whale, the kill would be
theirs,” it states. “This comes
with a large amount of
community pride.”
Federal law prohibits killing
gray whales, though Alaska
Natives are allowed to kill
other whales. The hunt un- This July 29, 2017, photo provided by KYUK Public Media shows a gray whale being butchered near Napaskiak, Alaska, with the
derscores the tension be- meat being distributed among several villages.
tween animal rights activ- Associated Press
ists who want to safeguard nous residents who depend hunting as part of their an- ganization respects nation- much smaller, white belu-
at-risk species and indige- on subsistence fishing and cient culture and traditions. al laws and international ga, and then a bowhead.
The whale strayed into the treaties to protect whales. “We have laws in this coun-
Kuskokwim River near the “We have provided edu- try. Laws have to be fol-
OFFICE SPACE Yup’ik village of Napaski- cational presentations lowed,” Schubert said. “If
ak on July 27, 2017. The about whaling last October laws are not going to be
37-foot whale was cut up, in our annual convention followed, why have them?”
FOR RENT with about 20,000 pounds to help educate the region In a similar case in 2016,
(9,100 kilograms) of meat we serve,” Korthuis wrote. Native Alaska villagers in
“NOAA and other federal Toksook Bay killed a pro-
and blubber reportedly dis-
tributed among Alaska Na-
couraged to interact with It also prompted a NOAA
tives in more than five com- agencies are always en- tected humpback whale.
munities. U.S. officials didn’t the tribes on a government- investigation that did not
prosecute the hunters. The to-government basis.” result in prosecution.
National Oceanic and At- Napaskiak tribal adminis- Killing the gray whale last
mospheric Administration trator Sharon Williams said year helped Native Alaska
sent letters to officials in the Native council dis- residents who got its meat
three communities advis- cussed the issue about two and blubber after much
ing Native leaders about months ago. of the salmon they had
the law and limits to subsis- “The incident came and harvested was ruined by
tence whaling. went,” Williams said. “We heavy rains, Williams said
NOAA officials had de- got reprimanded and last year. The rain prevent-
clined to say which com- that’s it.” The other lead- ed the fish that was being
munities received the ers who received the let- dried outside from preserv-
March 2018 letters, which ters could not immediately ing properly. Eastern Pacif-
also warned that future be reached for comment ic gray whales, also called
offenses would be dealt Monday. The Washington, California gray whales, are
with more severely. The D.C.-based Animal Welfare protected by federal rules.
documents show the letters Institute criticized NOAA They feed in the Bering,
were sent to tribal leaders for not pushing for charges Chukchi and Beaufort seas
in Bethel, Napaskiak and over a violation of the Ma- in summer and migrate
Oscarville.Vivian Korthuis, rine Mammal Protection down the West Coast each
CEO of the Bethel-based Act. Institute wildlife biolo- winter to breed, mostly in
Association of Village gist DJ Schubert also ques- the bays of Baja California.
Council Presidents, got a tioned the claim that the The whales were removed
letter and said in a state- hunters originally believed from the endangered spe-
ment Monday that the or- the gray whale to be a cies list in 1994.q