BALAENA COMUNE lithograph, by Rispoli / Petraroja, from NBWM Kendall Collection
Last Tuesday’s blog began with a reference to the commonly asked question (at least here at the NBWM) “Who’s hunting whales now?”. That blog talked a bit about one country involved in commercial hunting. Today’s answer to that question focuses on subsistence hunting and an article from the Alaska Dispatch.
It’s time for the NOAA/NMFS review of the bowhead whale population in the Bering, Chuckchi and Beaufort Seas (western Arctic). This will determine the maximum number of whales that can be harvested by the Inupiat.
Based on commentary coming out of Iceland, it is likely they will dispute or perhaps vote against the subsistence hunt at the next International Whaling Commission meeting. Japan did this in 2002.
This is a great topic. Yes, docents are often asked who are hunting whales, which whales are hunted. I always take them to the excellent graphic on the Jacobs balcony.
It would be great to have a resource to understand the nuts and bolts of the treaties and the outliers activities. The Whaling Museum might be able to suggest the most useful and trustworthy of the many sources available on the web.
Would Iceland allow the killing of North Atlantic Right Whales, or Blue Whales, in international waters? If they found a North Atlantic Bowhead, would they take it? How do modern whaling nations use whale products?
Thank you for your excellent blogs.