Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling
When I first started researching modern whaling for these pages, I was pleasantly adrift in the land of denial, thinking that except for a few rogue nations and scattered native groups, whaling had been banned on this planet to allow the whales’ decimated numbers to grow back after the wholesale slaughter in years past. I was wrong. What I am seeing now is a pattern of growth in the whaling industry, not decline.
Japan, Norway and Iceland continue their slaughter of whales, but what is really frightening is the growth of what has been termed “aboriginal subsistence whaling,” as defined by the IWC. This allows for indigenous people who historically hunted whales to kill a limited number for their own “subsistence.” This is occurring from Alaska to Greenland with more native peoples claiming their right to kill whales as part of their “culture.” Many of these aboriginal whalers are subsidized by Japan to advance their efforts to bring back full scale commercial whaling and gain the huge profits to be made from selling whale meat in markets in Japan.
Examples of questionable “subsistence” whaling are:
Russia-The Bering Sea: Chukchis living in Lorino, 75 miles from the Arctic Circle are allowed “subsistence” hunting of California Gray Whales. The native whalers are employees of the Lorino fox farm and most of their kill is used to feed the foxes raised for their fur. This is allowed through a loophole of the IWC regulations in which allows native people to “trade in items that are byproducts of subsistence catches.” Russia insists that the foxes are fed only whale “byproducts.” Reports state that Russian native hunters killed 172 whales between 1994 and 1996, including 144 killed by Lorino’s hunters. The mayor of Lorino put the number higher, saying that in 1996 the village killed 120 grays in that one season alone.
Bequia, an island that’s part of the Caribbean Island nation of “St. Vincent and the Grenadines” has a subsistence whale quota of two humpback whales per season. Their methods of killing these whales are a horrible example of cruelty as they harpoon a young calf in order to lure the mother to their boats, to be slaughtered along with her baby. Although against IWC regulations, this method of whaling continues under the direction of Japanese “advisors!”
Makahs butchering whale, ca. 1930
Makah Tribe-Neah Bay, Washington: This native hunt has made headlines all across the globe as the tribe cited an 1855 treaty with the U.S. as their right to hunt Gray Whales for the first time in over 70 years. Through a procedural loophole with the IWC, the Makah were allowed to share in the quota of the Chukotka natives of Siberia (see above), an average of four gray whales killed and “landed” per year for the next five years and up to 33 “strikes” overalll with weapons. This set a precedent for whaling world-wide and environmental groups have been fighting against this whale hunt since the beginning.
| The Makah Time Line – Legal Battles: |
| 1855: |
Makah sign treaty with the U.S. government specifically granting whaling rights. |
| 1920s: |
Makah stop whaling after commercial whaling decimates populations. |
| 1946: |
Gray whales become protected. 1994: Gray whales removed from federal Endangered Species List. |
| 1995: |
Makah ask the United States to represent them before the International Whaling Commission in their request to resume hunting |
| Oct. 23, 1997: |
International Whaling Commission approves Makah whale hunt after a lapse in hunting of more than 70 years; Makah can kill up to 5 whales a year through 2002. |
| Sept. 21, 1998: |
Federal judge rules Makah can resume whaling. |
| Oct. 1, 1998: |
Progressive Animal Welfare Society files suit against restrictions keeping other vessels away from hunting canoe. |
| Nov. 1, 1998: |
Altercation between Makah and protesters, four activists arrested. |
| Nov. 18, 1998: |
Whaling opponents, including U.S. Rep. Jack Metcalf, R-Wash., file appeal in federal court questioning whether the government complied with environmental law in supporting the hunt. |
| March 16, 1999: |
Eastern North Pacific gray whale population estimated at 26,600 by National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle. |
| May 10, 1999: |
Makah throw first harpoon. |
| May 17, 1999: |
Makah kill first whale in more than 70 years. |
| April 17, 2000: |
Makah start hunt again. |
| April 20, 2000: |
Protester on personal watercraft injured when hit by U.S. Coast Guard boat. |
| May 6-7, 2000: |
Makah family has several close encounters with gray whales, but hunts unsuccessfully under watchful eye of protesters. |
| June 9, 2000: |
A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules 2-1 to overturn the ruling that cleared legal obstacles to whaling, saying the environmental impact had not been adequately considered. |
| June 10, 2001: |
Makah butcher a gray whale found on a beach in Olympic National Park. |
| July 13, 2001: |
National Marine Fisheries Service decides Makah can resume whale hunt with fewer restrictions on where and when they can take a whale. |
| Early-2002: |
The International Whaling Commission approved the Makah request to renew its quota of whales for an additional five years, and Makah whalers began to prepare for a hunt that year. |
| Mid-2002: |
Opponents including the Humane Society of the United States and the Fund for Animals had appealed the new environmental assessment. Judge Burgess rejected the challenges. |
| December 20, 2002: |
A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit again reversed Judge Burgess ruling, placing the hunt on hold indefinitely. The panel announced that the hunt cannot proceed unless Makah whalers obtain a permit or exemption under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). |
| 2004: |
The tribe made two attempts to get the appeals court to change its ruling, but the panel judges rejected the requests and the rest of the 9th Circuit declined to hear the case. |
| February 2005: |
The Makah tribe submitted a formal request to the National Marine Fisheries Service for a waiver of the MMPA allowing them to hunt whales. The tribe and Fisheries Service also began work on the court required full environmental impact statement prior to any whale hunt. |
| September 8, 2007 |
Five whalers acting without permission from the Makah whaling commission or the federal government harpooned a gray whale. |
| May 2008 |
Fisheries Service finally released a draft of the environmental impact statement. |
| Mid-2009 |
It remains uncertain if Makah whalers will be able to commence their hunt for gray whales. |
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Under Current IWC laws anyone whose culture had a history of whaling could claim the same “rights” as these indigenous peoples! Should we have whaling ships leaving port from the East Coast of the United States simply because the people there once did so?
The IWC meets regularly in London and it is time to let them know that the people of this planet will not stand for a return to commercial whaling under the guise of “scientific” catches or “aboriginal subsistence.”
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Environmental Groups will also be sending representatives to the IWC meetings, send your contributions and your voice with them! See the “Organizations” page on this web site or go to any of the following:
You can also visit our Take Action page, containing contact information for key political and International Whaling Commission representatives. Write them today!
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Sources:
Photography and facts from historylink.org.
