Washington – On June 13, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a press release announcing the final rule and decision to grant the Makah Tribe a waiver from the take prohibitions in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), allowing them to hunt of Eastern North Pacific gray whales in accordance with the Treaty of Neah Bay of 1855.
According to the release, the tribe may resume hunting up to 25 Eastern North Pacific gray whales over a 10-year period in U.S. waters. The release states, “The final rule includes time and area restrictions, harvest limits, low population thresholds, restrictions on the use of gray whale parts and reporting and monitoring requirements.”
Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries, said:
“This final rule represents a major milestone in the process to return ceremonial and subsistence hunting of Eastern North Pacific gray whales to the Makah Tribe. The measures adopted today honor the Makah Tribe’s treaty rights and their cultural whaling tradition that dates back well over 1,000 years and is fundamental to their identity and heritage.”
Meanwhile, earlier this year the Indigenous leaders of Aotearoa (New Zealand), the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Hawaii, and Rapanu ratified a historic treaty that recognizes whales as legal persons with inherent rights “including the right to freedom of movement, a healthy environment, and the ability to thrive alongside humanity.” Māori King Tūheitia Pōtatau explains the importance of the the He Whakaputanga Moana Treaty:
“Our mokopuna (grandchildren) deserve an ocean brimming with life, where the melodies of whales echo across the vast expanses.”
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amazing how a couple of bureaucrats can decide what lives and dies in this world. maybe they should issue a permit to hunt the politicians. would be fun i bet. these clowns need to be removed from office.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY APPALING!!!! SOMEONE MUST’VE GREASED THEIR PALMS FOR THIS!!! SHAME ON THEM!!! THESE WHALES ARE PEACEFUL, LEAVE THEM ALONE! IN THIS DAY AND AGE, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!
Call something “tradition” just to justify murdering innocent beings ia horrifying. The Yulin “festival” kills millions of innocent cats and dogs and other sentient beings in the name of “tradition”. And just because people did it in the past does make it right. The human population continues to disgust and sicken me.
I meant does NOT make it right.
That is true! The Chinese are a disgusting and deranged society to catch torment hit on head and boil alive the dogs and cats to eat them????? Totally barbaric in today’s age. They’re a dirty rotten breed and all need to go the same way!
cannibalism, tribal chiefs deflowering 6 or 8 year olds, headshrinking of enemies and eating deceased relatives hearts and brains are all traditions for some tribes across the world too, but they dont do them anymore because it 2024. Nobody should be allowed to shit on the environment and hide behind tradition. If the entire human race thought that way we would still be living in caves ffs
This is not a ceremony, it’s barbaric torture. While some are doing the right things by protecting wildlife, this seems like a crime. The most dangerous animal in the world is on two legs.
Sorry – doing harm to animals and calling it tradition is BULLSHIT. This is NOT 1,000 years ago, when this tribe probably lived in caves. Now they have satellite dishes and use cellphones and GPS, so save this crap about “tradition.” They are just trading their minority-ism to get special treatment. Screw their “cultural whaling traditions.”
How much better are the New Zealand and other Pacific island tribles who granted legal PERSONHOOD to whales! THOSE places will get my tourist dollars!
The stinking backwards Makeh tribe can go to hell.
I totally agree and only hope someone on this rotten disgusting earth can help these innocent beautiful animals and get away from this barbaric tribe who I hope all die terrible deaths
NO NO NO SACK THE IDIOTS IN GOVERNMENT WHO ALLOWED THIS STUPIDITY.