whale-for-sale

WHALE FOR SALE THE GLOBAL TRADE IN DEAD WHALESUnited States of AmericaUSA: Great whales killed after the moratorium807060504030201001987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012ASW Illegal catchMore than 1,300 whales were killed during this period including bowhead, grey and minke whalesEarly whalers practiced ‘drift whaling’ (scavenging from carcasses of stranded whales) alongthe northwestern and northeastern coasts. Near-shore whaling, mainly of northern right whales,developed during the mid 17 th century off Long Island and Nantucket. Here, too, the first sperm whalewas killed was in 1712. The industry expanded massively, peaking in the mid 19 th century. The lastwhaling boat went out from New Bedford in 1927.Makah Tribe whaling: In 1855, the Makah tribe of Washington State, whose whaling traditiondates back at least 1,500 years, signed the Treaty of Neah Bay with the US government. This treatyguaranteed their right to continue hunting whales. In the late 1920s, tribal members voluntarilystopped hunting Eastern North Pacific grey whales after stocks became depleted, but when thespecies was taken off the Endangered Species list in 1994, the tribe applied for an exemption to themoratorium, citing a desire to re-establish their ancient whaling tradition.© Tim Stenton{ 41 }