International Whaling Commission
Big doings in Anchorage this week - the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission. The Commission’s scientific groups have been meeting in town for almost a month. But this week is where the political maneuvering takes place. One big plus - our Native whalers were given an five year approval for subsistence bowhead whale hunts. This is a huge deal - subsistence whaling is core to North Slope village culture. Natives in ten coastal communities will have the right to take up to 51 bowheads between 2008 and 2012.
The conference participants, scientists, media, and activists are all quartered at the Captain Cook. The elevator rides must be interesting. We’ve also had fun imagining the Greenpeace folks sneaking into the Japanese rooms to short sheet the beds.
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The Rainbow Warrior sailed into Elliott Bay yesterday. We are still wondering what she is doing in Seattle — I’m sure we’ll see it in the news sooner or later.
Interesting.