The National Marine Fisheries Service has announced the 2021 quota for aboriginal subsistence whaling of bowhead whales, assigning a limit of 93 strikes to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission. These guidelines follow the International Whaling Commission's rules, which currently set a seven-year block catch limit of 392 bowhead whales through 2025. The NOAA has detailed several rules, such as prohibitions on hunting calves or whales with calves, and requires that only licensed whaling captains with adequate crews and equipment engage in these activities. The quota and provisions ensure a sustainable and regulated harvest by the AEWC while respecting cultural needs.
Simple Explanation
The government said the people who live in Alaska and hunt whales are allowed to catch a certain number of big whales called bowhead whales this year, following special rules to make sure there are still enough whales in the sea.