Washington State whaling update

[Guest guest]

===== A message from the 'makahwhaling' discussion list =====

 

FROM WASHINGTON CITIZENS' COASTAL ALLIANCE

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1) National Park Service on the hot seat for allowing whale " harvest " on NPS

land...

 

BIG trouble for the National Park Service for allowing the Makah tribe to

slaughter a yearling gray whale on NPS beach. Suffice to say that the NPS

unilaterally ignored over eighty years of congressionally-mandated policy in

allowing Makah tribe to butcher the unfortunate gray whale found beached

south of Cape Alava, and a lot of people want to know why.... developing

story: STAY TUNED!

 

Remember this quote... you will see it again!

 

" The NPS intends to provide reasonable access to and use of, park lands and

park resources by Native Americans for religious and traditional activities.

However, the National Park Service is limited by law and regulation from

authorizing the consumptive use of park resources. "

 

Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR 2.1)

 

You've just witnessed three generations of law blown away, folks... And the

clincher? The National Park Service refuses comment on whether the whale-

left stranded for over three days- was alive or dead when the Makah started

hacking away at it...

*****

 

 

 

2) Animal Protection Groups Denounce Government's Denial Of Gray Whale

Listing Petition

 

WASHINGTON, June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Fund for Animals and

Australians for Animals released a statement criticizing the recent decision

by the National Marine Fisheries Service to deny a petition filed in March

2001 to list the gray whale as a threatened or endangered species under the

Endangered Species Act. The groups identified several blatant biases and

errors in the government's analysis of the listing petition.

 

" Instead of recognizing the serious threats to gray whales and their

habitat, the government would prefer to stick its head in the sand to avoid

the need to recognize the threats of global warming, bottom trawling, tribal

slaughter, and other issues adversely impacting these magnificent animals, "

said D.J. Schubert, a wildlife biologist who prepared the listing petition

for the groups. " The government's refusal to recognize the threats to the

gray whale and its habitat is scientifically corrupt and will only serve to

further the demise of this species. "

 

The petition contained substantive and compelling evidence documenting the

direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of global warming, bottom trawling,

gray whale killing by the Makah tribe of northwest Washington and Russian

natives, toxic contamination, and a host of other factors on gray whales and

their habitat. The petition also questioned the veracity of government gray

whale population estimates and made it clear that gray whales and their

habitat have no protection under current law. In denying the petition, the

government flatly refused to admit to any of the threats to gray whales and

their habitat without providing a scintilla of evidence to refute the

evidence contained in the petition.

 

" The government has clearly decided that politics, not science, will dictate

gray whale management regardless of the deadly consequences of its actions, "

added Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The Fund for Animals.

" This decision facilitates the government's continuing and inexplicable

desire to allow the Makah tribe to slaughter gray whales despite the strong

opposition from the vast majority of Americans. "

 

The Fund for Animals, founded by author Cleveland Amory, is an animal

protection organization headquartered in New York City. Australians for

Animals is an animal advocacy organization based in Byron Bay, New South

Wales, Australia. The listing petition and the statement released today are

both available at http://www.fund.org .

*****

 

 

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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" It was absolutely delicious... I had it as a roast. "

 

(Makah Tribal Chairman Greig Arnold, on the fate of the beached yearling

gray whale)

*****