The Makah Tribe has been granted a waiver from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Makah Tribe may hunt up to 25 Eastern North Pacific gray whales over the next decade
Before a hunt, the tribe must enter into a cooperative agreement with NOAA under the Whaling Convention Act and apply for and receive a permit.
the use of gray whale parts and reporting and monitoring requirements, according to a release from NOAA.
“This final rule represents a major milestone in the process to return ceremonial and subsistence hunting of Eastern North Pacific gray whales to the Makah Tribe,
The overall hunting quota for gray whales will not change.
The Makah have hunted and eaten whales for thousands of years. It's part of their cultural and spiritual identity.
Soon after the 1999 hunt, environmental groups took the tribe to court to prevent future whale hunting.
The tribe was seeking permission from federal and international agencies to resume whale hunting,