[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     WHALING AND WHALE POPULATIONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Washington [Mr. Metcalf] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose yet another proposal 
to hunt and kill gray whales along the coast of Washington State and 
Canada. It has recently come to my attention that the Nuu-Chah-Nulth 
tribe of British Columbia is planning to hunt whales for the first time 
in 70 years. Last year tribes from Washington State proposed a whale 
hunt off the Washington coast, but their petition was denied by the 
International Whaling Commission after they were notified of a 
resolution in opposition passed unanimously by the House Resources 
Committee. The human and economic effects as well as the impacts on 
whales need to be seriously considered before anyone decides to reopen 
commercial whaling off the west coast of the United States and Canada.
  My district includes the San Juan Islands, and that borders Canada 
and Vancouver Island near where the proposed Canadian hunt is to take 
place. The whale watching industry and tourism are among the main 
economic forces in this area, and they generate between $15 and $20 
million per year in revenue. Now this is not insignificant, the whale 
watching. The thousands who come to our region to visit and see the 
whales each year should be able to enjoy these animals, and the people 
of this region, many of whom are my constituents, should be allowed to 
operate their businesses and thrive on the presence of these unique 
creatures.

  These whales have become like pets. Lots and lots of boats go out to 
see them. They are not afraid of boats, they are used to boats. They 
are very trusting. They are very smart animals. And once commercial 
whaling, hunting of gray whales, begins, their demeanor will soon 
change, and they will not allow a boat to get anywhere near them. Thus 
a $15 to $20 million whale watching business will be decimated just for 
the personal profit of a few tribes.
  Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that once tribes resume commercial 
whaling, even on a limited basis, the large profits will increase 
pressure for an even greater hunt. As a result, the whales will be 
driven further away. As we know, commercial whaling is what drove most 
whale species to the brink of extinction around the turn of the 
century, and our country still suffers a guilt from that. Now that the 
whale populations are beginning to grow, some feel that it is time to 
resume commercial whale hunting.
  Mr. Speaker, it is not time to set sail and hunt or disrupt our 
fragile whale populations. My concern is not only for the people who 
benefit from the whale watching industry. I am also disturbed by the 
alliance of these tribes with the Norwegian and Japanese whaling 
industries.
  Just 2 years ago the whale was removed from the endangered species 
list at the insistence of some Native American tribes, and Native 
American groups in the United States and Canada, as well as the 
international whaling industry, have eyed the whales as a lucrative 
commercial venture. Having a whale hunt for food, subsistence or 
preservation of a genuine cultural tradition is arguable, but allowing 
whaling as a precursor to reviving worldwide whaling industry is 
unacceptable. One gray whale can bring as much as $1 million in Norway 
or Japan, and these whale merchants are fully aware of the profit 
potential. For example, the international whaling industry has offered 
to fully outfit the tribes with state-of-the-art equipment like boats, 
explosive harpoons, and so forth, if they are allowed to hunt.
  Mr. Speaker, that does not sound like traditional ceremonial whaling 
in hollowed out canoes. Furthermore, it seems to clearly indicate to me 
that the whaling industry perceives whaling by tribes as a prime 
opportunity to expand their own hunting.
  The Seattle Times reported on April 13, and I quote:

       The proposed hunt is allied with efforts by the commercial 
     interests in Japan and Norway that hope to turn the tide 
     against anti-whaling sentiment by proposing what they call 
     community-based whaling among indigenous people for cultural, 
     dietary and economic reasons.

  Again, I must question the validity of the proposal and the 
motivations behind a renewed commercial whale harvest. In fact, the 
fact that many whales are creatures that routinely migrate the globe, 
and we are talking there about the big whales, the others, not the gray 
whales, but they routinely migrate around the globe. They demand a 
consistent international policy. If a few native groups are allowed to 
harvest whales, then Japan and Norway would deserve and will demand the 
same. Such a policy will surely lead to a drastic reduction in the 
world whale populations.
  Mr. Speaker, the grim history of commercial whaling should not be 
reenacted, and I will do my best to see that it is not.

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