INDEX OF ITEMS ON THIS PAGE
Makah offered another way
Makah harpoonist withdraws
Whale death suggests speed limits
Many whales of Britain's west coast
Articles on this page (the most recent listed first):
Lawsuit ruling favors Makah whaling
Inuits kill highly endangered bowhead

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October 6, 1998

MAKAH RECEIVE ALTERNATIVE BUSINESS OFFER from Heidi Tiura, an outdoor recreation specialist and developer of five successful businesses and presently owner of Sea Dog School teaching boating, seamanship, navigation.  Ms. Tiura offered her expertise for everything from writing grants for seed money to promoting their business.  The offer does not seem to have swayed the tribal council's intention to proceed with the slaughter

October 6, 1998

MAKAH HARPOONIST HAS WITHDRAWN his participation in this year's hunt in order to consider what his ancestors want and how whaling will affect the tribe's place in history. 

October 6, 1998

THE DEATH OF A MINKE WHALE AND INJURY TO A HUMPBACK have brought recommendations of specific speed limits for whale-watching boats.  As it is, they are merely required to stay 200 feet away from any whales.  There is a real danger that the growing whale-watching industry will cause whales to leave their most favorable feeding areas in exchange for more peace and quiet.  At the same time, there have been incidences of whales approaching boats and inviting contact.  A 5 mph speed limit in the vicinity of whales would certainly reduce the danger of collision and propeller injuries.

October 6, 1998

INCREASED WHALE SIGHTINGS  of Britain's west coast have led biologists to estimate the presence of over 900 dolphins and whales, including highly endangered blue whales, along a continental shelf  where oil companies want to begin exploratory drilling.  This area, being proposed as a world heritage site, is also within the 200 mile coastal limit where an Irish proposal to the International Whaling Commission would permit commercial whaling to take place.

September 24, 1998

LAWSUIT RULING FAVORS MAKAH WHALING 
A Federal Court judge ruled in favor of Makah tribal council claims that they had been given permission by the IWC to kill five gray whales for "cultural" purposes.  Their slaughter is due to start October 1st.  The lawsuit was brought by Breach Marine Protection of the UK , Austra-lians for Animals and Washington Congressman Jack Metcalf.

MEANWHILE Sea Shepherd and Whale Guardians Network
have been preparing the Sea Shepherd Navy and mustering a flotilla of small private craft to prevent the Makah from killing any whales.  It is hoped that the unusually large number of boats might cause the migrating whales to avoid the area. 

US COASTGUARD, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, WASHINGTON STATE PATROL, CLALLAM COUNTY SHERIFFS'S DEPARTMENT  will be on hand to enforce human measures to protect human safety (and incidentally adding to the number of vessels that might deter the whales from approaching).  The only problem is that the Coast Guard has ruled on 1500 foot exclusionary zone around the Makah boats, which will hamper those trying to protect the whales and those trying to document any wounding or killing that takes place.

WRITE: Vice-president Gore at the White House (Washington DC 20500); the President, and your senators (20510)  and your Congressperson (20515) letting them know you don't want to become a citizen of a whaling nation.

BE AWARE:  If the exploitive members of the Makah Tribal Council get away with killing whales, other aboriginal tribes around the world, aided and abetted by Japanese commercial whaling interests, stand poised to resume whaling.  More information available in C-paper Summer 1998, C-paper Spring 1998 and on previous page.

INUITS PREPARING TO KILL BOWHEAD   -  July 19, 1998
Inuit (formerly Eskimo) hunters are planning to kill an endangered bowhead whale in the name of preserving a cultural tradition.  They first resumed whale killing in 1996.  They shot the animal with multiple harpoons and followed up by firing round after round of bullets from  high-powered rifles over and over again.  The whale finally died, sank and did not resurface for two days by which time the flesh had rotted.  The body was dispose of by burning it on the beach.

To avoid a repetition of this atrocity, the tribe will be armed with an explosive harpoon this year, but even that may not kill quickly.  Bowheads can be 60 feet long and weigh 100 tons.  If all goes as planned, the flesh will be distributed to Inuit throughout Nunavut, the territory now under Inuit jurisdiction.  With the land settlement, the Inuit obtained the right to kill whales subject to federal approval.

The International Whaling Commission turned down (20-6) the Inuit request for permission to kill and appealed to Canada to uphold their decision.  Canada is no longer a member of IWC, however, and left the matter to the Inuit.    One of the leaders of their hunters association announced: "It is our right, part of our culture, to harvest any animal within Nunavit, regardless of any regulations."

And kill they did, a 43 foot bowhead whale.  There are estimated to be only 500 left.

TOXINS FOUND IN NORTH ATLANTIC WHALES 
from The New York Times Sunday,  August 30, 1998

Dutch scientists have found polybrominated chemicals in the fat and sometimes in the livers of 13 sperm and minke whales stranded on the Dutch coast during 1996 and 1997.

These whales feed at depths of 1,000 to 3,600 feet.  Whales that feed in shallower waters close to shore are presumed to be at higher risk, especially the gray whales, who are bottom feeders.

Polybrominated compounds are flame retardants used in the casing of  television sets and (n.b.!!) children's clothing.  (The last I knew this chemical treatment is legally required in children's sleepwear - as if they were more likely to catch fire while sleeping in their beds than at play! and as if none of them ever sucked on their sleeves!)  These chemicals resemble PCB's and DDT according to the article.

The scientists surmise the chemicals are not fully destroyed in waste incinerators and enter the atmosphere and streams.  They have previously been found in dolphins and seals who live closer to land, but it was assumed they were not present in deeper water farther from land.

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