Amid Protests, Tribe Begins Whale Hunt

Seven Makah Indians in a cedar canoe began hunting for a gray whale--the Seattle tribe’s first attempt this spring to go on a traditional whale hunt that had been banned for 70 years. The whaling crew had intended only to go on a practice run in the Pacific Ocean near Neah Bay, said Keith Johnson, chairman of the Makah Whaling Commission. But protesters were following the crew’s 32-foot canoe and their support boat, so the tribe issued a 10-day hunting permit that requires other vessels to stay at least 500 yards away. The Coast Guard detained two protesters and escorted their motorboat away. An official said no whales had been caught by midafternoon.