Opinion

Editorial: Makah Nation reacts swiftly to rogue hunt

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

"More than anything, the illegal hunt Saturday was a sad, terrible waste of a whale's life. Federal and tribal authorities must set aside the emotions created by the deliberate attack on the lone animal and cooperate to bring about appropriate punishment.

Quick, certain justice should be the goal. Makah authorities and federal prosecutors should weigh what court can deliver a verdict with efficient use of public resources and the least likelihood of lengthy appeals.

The immediate responses from both tribal and federal authorities have been healthy. The tribe promised to prosecute the small group that killed the whale and to cooperate with any federal investigation.

A leader of the hunting group expressed frustration with a lengthy process to get final approval for a legal whale hunt. That's no excuse, anymore than it would be for someone else to vent frustrations with environmental reviews by clear-cutting old-growth trees near salmon-bearing streams."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Illegal Whale Hunt: A sad situation (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 9/11)

Another View:
Brenda Peterson: Illegal hunt makes things worse for whales and for tribe (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 9/11)

Relevant Documents:
Tribal Council Statement | Makah Tribal Whale Hunt | Marine Mammal Protection Act

Court Decisions:
Anderson v. Evans (June 7, 2004) | Anderson v. Evans (December 20, 2002)

Relevant Links:
Makah Nation - http://www.makah.com