Editorial: Put an end to Makah Nation whale hunts

Wednesday, March 26, 2008  

"Let last September's botched, illegal whale hunt by five members of the Makah Tribe in the Strait of Juan de Fuca be the last for a long, long time.

The application of the federal criminal-justice system to the killing of the gray whale has been a work in progress for months. A plea deal was close on Monday, and then collapsed. Another agreement might be forthcoming Thursday, or maybe the case will go to trial next month.

Either way, the tribe's separate and ongoing request for an exemption to the Marine Mammal Protection Act to hunt another whale, after one was legally taken in 1999, ought to be buried under a tall stack of paper."

Get the Story:
Editorial: The death of a whale (The Seattle Times 3/26)

Another Story:
Tribal pretrial conference postponed for five Makah whalers (The Peninsula Daily News 3/26)

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

Related Stories:
Makah whalers reject plea deal for illegal hunt (3/25)
Makah whaling case set for trial in two courts (03/17)
Judge reduces charges in Makah whaling case (2/20)
Federal court delays trial for unauthorized whalers (01/25)
Opinion: Makah Nation shouldn't hunt whales (1/22)
Makah Nation delays trial for unauthorized hunt (1/21)
Makah chairman confident of tribe's return to whaling (1/14)
Makah whalers plead not guilty for illegal hunt (12/12)
Makah Nation charges five for unauthorized hunt (11/27)
Rogue Makah whalers seek delay in federal trial (11/12)
Editorial: Makah hunters to pay price for illegal hunt (10/8)
Rogue Makah hunters indicted on federal charges (10/5)
Opinion: Makah Nation has treaty right to hunt (10/5)
Federal probe into Makah whale hunt ongoing (09/18)
Editorial: Makah Nation must punish rogue hunters (9/14)
Letters: Readers discuss illegal Makah whale hunt (9/14)
Makah leaders hopeful after Washington meetings (9/13)
Column: Makah Nation shouldn't hunt whales (9/13)
Makah Nation hires former Slade Gorton aide (9/12)
Editorial: Illegal hunt may be last for Makah Nation (9/12)
Unauthorized hunt likely to delay action on permit (9/11)
Editorial: Makah Nation reacts swiftly to rogue hunt (9/11)
Editorial: Illegal whale hunters must be punished (9/11)
Makah Nation blasts unauthorized whale hunt (9/10)