VANCOUVER – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries is asking for public input on a new Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that looks at the Makah Tribe’s request to resume treaty-based hunting of eastern North Pacific gray whales for ceremonial and subsistence purposes.
The Makah are looking to hunt gray whales from the eastern North Pacific stock, which scientists say has fully recovered from historic whaling and was removed from the list of threatened and endangered species in 1994. The Makah historically hunted them for subsistence and ceremonial purposes, under the treaty right of whaling. But in 2004, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that in order to engage in these hunts, the group must also comply with the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
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Hunts were discontinued at that time and following the court ruling, the Makah prepared a request to NOAA Fisheries to allow the hunting of up to five whales per year.
The eastern North Pacific population is estimated to number about 20,000 whales.
“This is the first step in a public process of considering this request that could eventually lead to authorization for the tribe to hunt gray whales,” said Donna Darm, associate deputy regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region. “This is the public’s opportunity to look at the alternatives we’ve developed, and let us know if we have fully and completely analyzed the impacts.”
For more information on the DEIS, the Makah request to hunt grey whales and to submit comments, go to the website. NOAA Fisheries is also planning public meetings to gather information and comments on the document. The agency will announce those online and via email when the dates and other logistics have been finalized.
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