Washington State Finishes Investigation of Whaling -- Hands Off

Dang, a politician who faces facts? Usually, a politician promising to 'look into' something is indefinite postponement. Here Gov. Locke really did look into it. The Indian haters didn't much like his answer, though.
http://www.governor.wa.gov/press/99112401.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Nov. 24, 1999

Study concludes state has no authority on gray whale hunt

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has concluded the state has no authority to regulate hunting of gray whales along the state's coastlines.

Last week, Gov. Gary Locke asked the department to investigate and report back to him on whether the state has authority to intervene in the hunt of gray whales by the Makah Indian tribe after protesters claimed the whale that was killed earlier this year was a 'resident gray whale.' They maintained that because it was a member of a 'resident' population, the whales deserve state protection as a natural resource. The Makah tribe exercised its treaty hunting rights to harvest marine mammals.

'This study investigated whether the state has a role in the Makah tribe's hunt of gray whales,' Locke said. 'The state has no jurisdiction in this issue, and we must respect the tribe's treaty rights to hunt gray whales.'

The department worked with the state Attorney General's Office to determine the state's role. The investigation concluded:

The North Pacific gray whale represents a robust, healthy population that is either at or above recorded historic levels. Management of gray whales and other marine mammals is under the authority of the federal Department of Commerce, and the state has no authority to regulate gray whale populations. Although some whales have been seen feeding along the Pacific coast from California to southeast Alaska, there are no records to indicate these whales remain in Washington throughout the year or that they become separated from the rest of their group. The management agreement between the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Makah tribe provides safeguards to protect local feeding groups of whales in waters of Washington.

The department will continue to recommend and encourage monitoring and research on gray whales feeding in Washington.

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Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Actually, I am pretty pleased that he went ahead and looked into it. Too bad he wimped out under political pressure. Still, there are other avenues to explore and the issue is very much alive. A few comments:

We don't know how many there used to be.

authority of the federal Department

And old growth forests are (mis)managed by the Dept of Agriculture. The Commerce Dept obviously does no better with whales.

The Makah whaling season starts Oct 1. Migratory whales don't pass Neah Bay until late December. How does this protect local whales?

It is stupid abjectly FALSE statements like that which cause people to recognize you as a liar Rich. Perhaps the other statements in that article can be attributed to a difference of opinion, but the above is simply not true. And of all people you should know that.

The rules under which the Makah hunt are conducted were worked out by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the State of Washington, and the Makah Tribe. Those rules set the dates when hunting is permitted. Those rules prohibit the taking of resident whales. Those rules require strict reporting. Those rules require that each hunt be monitored by a Department of Natural Resources observer, and on request a NMFS biologist experienced in whale hunt observations. Each whaling permit is also issued for a specific, and rather small (5 square miles!), area to hunted and no hunts are allowed either outside of traditional Mahak territory, nor inside the 'Tatoosh-Bonilla Line', for the express purpose of restricting the hunt to migrating whales.[1]

The above set of facts, all of which should be known to you of all people, clearly indicate that the intent of your argument above is to provide a false conclusion.

It is also a _well_ known fact the migration _peaks_ in December to May, and that is _not_ when it begins and ends.[2]

AND YOU DAMNED WELL _KNOW_ THAT IS TRUE RICH, YOU LIAR.

Floyd

[1] <http://conbio.rice.edu/nae/docs/makahplan.html> [2] See any of the multitudes of copies of Jim Darlings comments, *including* the one you posted!

They have been passing Vancouver Island for months now. Do they just leap over Neah Bay until late December?

What political pressure? If the whale-worshipers are as numerous as you seem to believe, wouldn't the pressure be in favour of a whaling ban?

Aparently you are unable to read, Floyd. I will repost the pertinant section of Jim Darling's comments here you that you may learn before you spout off again. I will even seperate the sentences so even you can read them and understand his opinion before you cite him again:

'However, to date the scheduled hunts have not coincided with the migrations.'

That would seem pretty clear. What don't you understand here?

' Although numerous scientific studies clearly show that the southern winter migration passes the Vancouver Island-Washington coast after early December (with the peak around Christmas or New Years), the U.S. government opened the hunt on October 1st last year.'

I know that is a big paragraph Floyd, but it is pretty self explanatory.

'Any whales taken before December would very likely have been summer residents.'

If you really are trying to cite Jim Darling to prove your point, you are either a fool, a liar, or both. I don't need to use all caps to demonstrate it either. It is obviously your intent to distort the opinions of a whale specialist to suit your own agenda. Too bad you got caught.

Bu-bye now.

I would imagine he is doing fine. You continue the lie that Frank is my buddy, a little tough considering I only saw his posts in alt.native and exchanged one e-mail with him. But hey, you're going to believe what you will, no skin off my nose.

I will continue to speak the truth here despite your blathering. Your bullying, insults and attacks only increase my fortitude to spread the truth about the bloody slaughter of whales by the Makah and others. Blast away Floyd, each reponse you make to me, each bit of your monkey crap that you fling my way just gives me more energy and more determination. Same with your whaling buddy Floyd.

Great. Standing up for what he believes while asses like you try to paint him with your crap. I applaude him.

Now who is lying Floyd. Any ill that would befall a whale supporter would please you to no end. You are a very sour, dark person.

Nope. 'tis the truth. Not that you'd know...

Are you trying to say that thousands of farm animals, fish, and so on are not slaughtered every day? Time to pull your head out, Graeme.

Concidering that we are at the top of every single food chain, yes, we are a successful species. I don't know what kind of new-agey criteria you need to call a species successful...

Yes. Humans everywhere. That's success. In fact, we're so successful it's becoming a problem; we're running out of resources.

Hell, your very existance contradicts the 'successful species claim'.

Actually, I meant your whaling buddy Lund. It gets so hard to ell you guys apart after a while.

And they smell alike too Rich....

How would you know? Give us details, here...

Of course, we all know everything smells the same way for you, seeing as your head is firmly planted in your own butt...