World Whaling

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Russia

Old Mine Used to Refrigerate Whale and Walrus Meat
Photo: ICR

Once one of the world's largest industrial-whaling nations, Russian whaling has declined dramatically in recent years. The images of large factory ships and fleets of catcher boats is a thing of the past, and the collapse of the USSR has caused the collapse of most of the northern fox farms which used to depend on whale meat for feed.

Today, "Russian" whaling is more accurately described as "Chukotkan" whaling, in reference to the Chukotka region of north-eastern Siberia, the territory of the indigenous Chukchi and Yup'iit peoples. In contrast to the whaling excesses of the Soviet state, these indigenous peoples maintain a small-scale, sustainable, traditional whale fishery, in accord with their ancient lifeways. The recent collapse of established supply lines has left the people of Chukotka isolated and poorly served by the mainstream economy. In a region where winter predominates and where imported foods are expensive and in limited supply, starvation is an ongoing threat. In turning to the whaling traditions of their ancestors, the people of Chukotka are ensuring their survival.

Chukotkan whalers hunt three kinds of whale: gray, bowhead, and beluga. In 2003, 131 gray whales and 2 bowhead (from a quota of 5) were taken. Of all the whales listed, the bowhead holds particular cultural/ social significance to the people of Chukotka, in addition to its provision of food; the Yup'iit believe that a bowhead whale will only be landed successfully when the people co-operate, and live together in peace. Beluga are also taken from time to time, with current research indicating that up to 500 beluga per year could be sustainably harvested.

The gray whale stock, which has continuously provided food to Chukotkans, is the same stock traditionally hunted by the Nuu-chah-nulth (including Makah) and Alaskan Eskimo peoples. Despite this whale stock having been reduced to low numbers by excessive industrial whaling in the 19th and 20th centuries, once these unsustainable harvests ceased the stock recovered rapidly while being continuously hunted by Chukotkan and Alaskan whalers. Chukotkan whaling thus provides a valuable insight into the negligible impact a sustainable harvest (numbering around 200 whales per year) has on the health of whale populations: gray whale stocks rebounded to recently exceed their pre-industrial harvest numbers, despite a continuous aboriginal hunt.

All hunting is done in accord with tradition: community-based hunters using skin-covered and wooden whaleboats harpoon, spear and shoot the whales and tow them back to shore to be flensed and shared among community members. In the past two years, darting guns using an explosive grenade, have been employed, and have greatly increased the efficiency and humane aspects of the kill. In the interests of further decreasing the time of death and minimizing the possibility of struck but lost whales, Chukotkan
whalers have expressed interest in acquiring large caliber whaling rifles, specifically designed for the safest, quickest and most humane kill.

In recent years, Chukotkan whalers and other marine-based hunters have formed the Union of Marine Mammal Hunters in order to more adequately represent their concerns to local and national authorities. It is felt that these levels of authority have not adequately represented indigenous whaling communities at the IWC; the Union was formed to ensure that their voice would be heard, and currently representatives attend IWCmeetings. The plight of the Chukotkan communities is dire; they currently whale to survive.