The National Marine Fisheries Service has reopened the comment period on the Makah Nation's application for a waiver to exercise its treaty right to hunt whales.

The tribe is applying for a waiver under the Marine Mammals Protection Act. But the NMFS now wants comments about the effect of whaling under the Whaling Convention Act. Comments are being accepted until March 29.

The tribe was guaranteed the right to hunt whales by the 1855 Treaty of Neah Bay. But the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a case brought by animal rights activists, ruled that the treaty was abrogated by the Marine Mammals Protection Act even though the law doesn't mention tribes.

Get the Story:
Fisheries Service broadens study on Makah request to resume whaling (The Peninsula Daily News 3/3)
U.S. expands scope of Makah whaling study (AP 3/3)

Relevant Links:
Makah Nation - http://www.makah.com
Makah Request for a Waiver of the Moratorium on Taking Marine Mammals - http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/mmammals/graywhales/index.html

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