Date: Wed, 26 Jun, 1996
IWC Receives Requests for Whaling Permits
By AUDREY WOODS
Associated Press Writer

ABERDEEN, Scotland (AP) -- The United States and Russia appealed to international whaling regulators Tuesday to permit small whale hunts by an American Indian tribe and the Chukotka people of Russia's polar regions. Japan also is seeking permission to kill 50 minke whales in the North Pacific this year to alleviate the hardship of some whaling communities.

Although the 39-member International Whaling Commission called a worldwide moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986, some indigenous groups are allowed to kill a few whales for subsistence and cultural reasons. "Whales are the central focus of our culture today, as they have been since the beginning of time," said Marcy Parker, a council member of the Makah tribe of the northwest Olympic Peninsula.
"Even though we haven't hunted the whale on the ocean in 70 years, we have hunted the whale in our hearts and in our minds."

The United States is proposing a five-whale annual quota for the Makahs. They want to hunt gray whale, which once were nearly extinct but have recovered. Initial responses from countries including Japan, Norway and France, indicated strong support for the U.S. proposal.

But there was considerable doubt among some nations, including Mexico and Australia. They question the Makahs' need for whale as food -- especially given the tribe's broken history of whale hunting.

Mexico was concerned about what it called a "proliferation" of requests for aboriginal quotas, and said countries might use them to get around the moratorium, designed to protect dwindling species.

Nations will debate the U.S. proposal further, as well as a separate request from Russia, before voting later in the conference, which ends Friday. Russia asked for a five-whale catch for the indigenous Chukotka people in northeastern Siberia, whose traditional religion reveres whales. They want to kill bowheads, which are an endangered species. Some commission members expressed reservations about the need, although the United States and Japan have declared their support.

The Chukotkas already have a quota of 140 gray whales. The Chukotkas experienced food shortages because of a decline in reindeer. Whale meat has become important for nutrition, the Chukotka representative, identified only as V. Etylin, told the commission.

Japan wants an "interim relief allocation" of 50 minke whales in the North Pacific, which is in a separate category from aboriginal whaling. But U.S. officials oppose the Japanese request, saying it has a commercial aspect.

Japan was able to take more than 400 whales this year due to a provision in the 10-year-old non-binding moratorium that allows killing a limited number of the huge sea mammals for scientific research.



Back to MENU