The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) granted the tribe a waiver of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, marking a significant victory the Makah have pursued for decades.
The tribe last legally harpooned a gray whale in the spring of 1999, their first hunt in over 70 years, which was met with substantial controversy. This fall, the tribe may resume hunting, said NOAA spokesperson Michael Milstein. Each hunt will require an application, population verification of gray whales, and a public comment period.
The waiver permits the Makah to hunt up to 25 gray whales over a decade. The global hunting quota, regulated by the International Whaling Commission, remains unchanged. This quota is shared between the Makah Tribe and the Chukotkan Natives in Russia. The Makah will now utilize whales previously allocated to Russia, with a limit of two to three whales hunted annually in U.S. waters.
