On December 20th, the Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled in favour of gray whales by ordering the U.S. government to conduct a full environmental assessment of the impact of proposed Makah whaling before any more gray whales are killed. The decision is a huge victory for gray whales and opponents of the hunt as it forces the U.S. government into a procedure that may take years to complete. This is not the end of the threat to gray whales posed by Makah whaling, but it does provide more time for opponents of the hunt to find a permanent solution that will allow gray whales to live undisturbed in Washington State waters and the Makah tribe to find ways of sustaining their culture without killing whales. We thank the judges for their wisdom, and congratulate the opponents of the hunt for their persistence in carrying on the fight for gray whales in the face of massive obstacles. Good news, indeed… and a great way to end this year!
For a more information go to http://www.komotv.com/stories/22094.htm.
