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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Gray Whale Found Dead In Makah Indian Tribe Net

Associated Press

A dead gray whale was found trapped Sunday in one of the Makah Indian Tribe’s fishing nets in ocean waters a few miles from this coastal town, authorities said.

The whale was hauled to the beach where tribal members harvested it for food, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Paul Wallfinger.

The whale, which was about 15 to 20 feet long, had probably been trapped in the net overnight, Wallfinger said.

It was not clear if the whale was dead before it was caught in the net or died as a result of being caught.

The net was stationary and strung out over a large area, Wallfinger said.

Makah Tribal Police would not answer questions regarding the incident and messages left with the National Marine Fisheries Service were not immediately returned.

Two months ago, the Makah Tribe informed federal officials that it wants to kill up to five gray whales a year for food and ceremonial uses.

The move was met with disapproval by animal rights activists who say a whale hunt would set a horrible precedent and undermine support for an international moratorium on whale hunting.

Whale hunting and the Makah have a long history together.

Whales used to make up more than 80 percent of the food for the tribe at the northwest tip of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, and whale-hunting ceremonies were an important social anchor for the isolated tribe, Tribal Chairman Hubert Markishtum has said.

Gray whales, which were once endangered, are now about 20,000 strong and record numbers have been spotted in Puget Sound this year.