Whaling Practices among the Makah Indians, Neah Bay, Washington State, USA

Resource System
Marine ecosystem
Resource Units
Humpback and gray whales
Location
Neah Bay, Washington, USA

The case examines the whaling practices of the Makah Indians of Washington State. After practicing whaling for thousands of years, the Makah were forced to stop due to commercial whaling during the late 1800s and early 1900s. In the 1990s, the Makah began efforts to begin whaling again due to increased whale populations. Since their only successful whale hunt in 1999, the Makah have faced continual litigation from animal rights activists.

Makah Whaling Institution
Resource System

Whales

Resource Users

Makah Indians
Animal Rights Activists

Public Infrastructure Providers

United States Government

Public Infrastructure

Bureau of Indian Affairs
United States Justice Department

Relationship 1

Whaling
Whale protection

Relationship 2

Providing of help in regaining of whaling rights
Lawsuit due to not following procedure

Relationship 3

Helping the Makah file paper work to regain whaling rights
Judge legality of reinstatement of Makah whaling rights

Relationship 4

Works to reinstate traditional Makah whaling rights
Judges the effects on the whale population

Relationship 5
(none specified)
Relationship 6

Action arena to regain whaling rights
Action arena to stop whaling

Exogenous Drivers 7 (Resource System)
(none specified)
Exogenous Drivers 7 (Public Infrastructure)
(none specified)
Exogenous Drivers 8 (Resource Users)
(none specified)
Exogenous Drivers 8 (Public Infrastructure Providers)
(none specified)
Human Infrastructure, Private and Human-Made (Resource Users)
(none specified)
Human Infrastructure, Private and Human-Made (Public Infrastructure Providers)
(none specified)