Guest guest Posted May 10, 2000 Report Share Posted May 10, 2000 URGENT NEWS ADVISORY Wednesday / May 10, 2000 (7:47 a.m.) MAKAH HUNTING; TARGETS MAY BE ILLEGAL, CHARGE WHALING OPPONENTS NEAH BAY, WA (Wednesday/5-10-00) - Makah whalers are on the water this morning, but observers here charge that it appears the targets of the hunters are either mothers, calves or " resident " whales - all on the protected list. According to Ocean Defense International, the whales in the area being tracked by the Makah are feeding and staying in the area, and not heading north are part of the migration. Under federal code, that means the Makah cannot kill them. " The whales today are feeding, and not making any attempts to head north. According to our experts, that probably means they are either mothers, with their calves, or resident whales - and both are not to be hunted according to National Marine Fisheries, " said Ocean Defense International flagship captain Jonathan Paul. Paul said most of the whales have already migrated north, leaving mostly mothers and calves. Whale defenders have also observed whales " actively avoiding " the hunting boats when they observe them. Paul said his crew is also on the watch to see if Makah whalers violate federal law, as they did last weekend when they failed to send a radio message - as required by law - setting up the 500 yard exclusionary zone around the hunt. Alleged violation of that " zone " was used to arrest anti-whaling activists last month. Also on the scene to document the whaling is the Whaleman Foundation. -30- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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