Makah Tribal Court Will Press For Trial On Whale Killing - Reuters

[hatrack]

SEATTLE - Five Washington state American Indian hunters may face prosecution from their tribe after shooting and killing a gray whale in the midst of a charged legal dispute over tribal whaling.

The five men, who shot a 30-foot (9.1-metre) whale on Saturday morning with harpoons and a rifle often used to hunt elephants, may also face federal charges for violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the US Attorney's office in Seattle said. The Makah, a tribe of about 1,200 members, has been waiting since 1999 to resume its traditional hunt of gray whales after a federal court ruled that the tribe needs to secure a waiver from the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

It is waiting on an environmental impact study from the National Marine Fisheries Service. The North Pacific Gray Whale was taken off the endangered species list in 1994 and International Whaling Commission scientists said earlier this year that a small hunt should not affect the population.

"Their action was a blatant violation of our law and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the tribal council said.

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