According to an article written by Paul Gottlieb in July of 2010, research has come out about the grey whales which were the focus of the Makah Whaling in the late 1990s. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has performed research which has suggested that the whales surrounding the Strait of Juan de Fuca may have a seperate genetic idenity than the other grey whales in the Pacific Ocean, meaning that the whales near the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington penninsula may be placed on an endangered species. This genetic discovery may place restrictions on the whaling of the Makahs.
While it is important that the 200 or so individuals of the different genetic variety are preserved to prevent extinction of a unique species, the right to whale should not be taken away from the Makah peoples. Restrictions should be made and perhaps specifications about which whales can be killed. Although the Makah's have killed few whales since the renewing of the whaling practice, the peoples should have the right to do so if they feel the need to.
-Brittany Vigoreaux
Source: http://indiancountrynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9660&Itemid=118
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