Makah violate federal law but so what?

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday / May 6, 2000 (9:42 a.m.)

 

 

 

 

SATURDAY HUNT UPDATE:

MAKAH VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW;

FAIL TO GIVE RADIO WARNINGS

 

NEAH BAY, WA - Makah whalers have apparently violated federal law at least

once today as they tracked whales - possibly mothers and their calves,

according to charges leveled by Ocean Defense International (ODI).

 

Under federal law (Code of Federal Regulations 33, 165.1310), the Makah

must make security broadcasts " every half hour until hunting activities are

concluded " to alert vessels to the 500-yard Moving Exclusionary Zone around

the hunting boat.

 

However, according to ODI and even Coast Guard personnel, the Makah failed

to do that at least once Saturday.

 

" They've made it a felony punishable by a $250,000 fine and six years in

jail to violate this zone, but then the Makah fail to follow the law, and

the Coast Guard excuses it, " said Tami Drake-Miller, legal aide to ODI.

 

She said that the Coast Guard ignored the violation of law by the Makah,

and told ODI Saturday that it government lawyers had okayed it.

 

" One of our people was run over by the Coast Guard (Erin Abbott), and the

Makah also missed the warning about the exclusionary zone then. They're

absolutely changing the rules and violating the law, " Drake-Miller added.

 

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