"NMFS study of Makah whaling reopened and expanded"

KONP / Local News

"March 3rd, 2006 - 6:18am (Seattle) -- The National Marine Fisheries Service has reopened and expanded the scope of public comment for an environmental study of the Makah Tribe's request to conduct whale hunting under its treaty rights. The agency has decided to expand the scope of the study to include not only the effects of issuing quotas to the Makah through a waiver of the Marine Mammals Protection Act moratorium on taking marine mammals, but also on the effect of issuing quotas under the Whaling Convention Act. A whale hunt could not take place without the federal agency's authorization under both statutes. The new deadline for written or electronically mailed public comment specifically about expansion of the study's scope is 5 p.m. March 29th."