Journalists study whale hunt issue

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One of North America's largest professional journalism organizations gathered to study the many issues facing West Coast communities, including the issue of Aboriginal whaling.

A lively debate between Tom "Mexsis" Happynook and Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Society heated up the eleventh annual conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists held in Portland, Oregon for journalists from across the United States, Canada and Mexico to learn more about West Coast fisheries, First Nations, forestry, and urban sprawl issues.

In a session entitled "Culture Renewed: The Return of Aboriginal Whaling to the Pacific Northwest", Mexsis, Watson, and Eye of the Whale author Dick Russell squared off in one of the most spirited sessions of the entire conference.

According to Mexsis, the Makah Nation has "closed the door" to media because of the "circus environment" created by the media and the protestors at Neah Bay in 1999.

"The media were misrepresenting the facts on both sides," said Watson, adding that only the Makah had access to the media since Sea Shepherd representatives were not allowed to dock in Neah Bay.

"The media tried to turn this into a cowboys and Indians story. They weren't too interested in the facts. They just wanted two opposing sides so they could cover the conflict," said Watson.

"People in Neah Bay and throughout Nuu-chah-nulth territories received death threats and it's people like you who generate these death threats," Happynook accused Watson. "His [Watson's] only interest is raising money."

"The only death and violence at Neah Bay was against one whale that was killed. No Makah were injured, but my crew members were stoned and some were injured," said Watson. "One whale was killed at Neah Bay and no whales have been killed since. The reason being is because we had a victory making it impossible for a commercial whale hunt to take place. I seriously doubt there will be another whale hunt because they simply lost interest," he said.

"There are more important environmental issues that need to be dealt with, with the money that these protest organizations generate, than worrying about whether we take a few whales on a sustainable basis to feed our families," said Mexsis.

"There is no such thing as cultural subsistence whaling," said Watson. "If the Makah get approval on cultural subsistence whaling, the Japan and Norway will go for the same exception. The Japanese were helping the Makah to get their hunt ... and Tom Happynook works for the Japanese," yelled Watson.

Other topics discussed by the panel included how media events two years ago affected the Makah Nation's current reluctance to talk to the media, and what the media can do to change that.

"That was a huge media circus and it didn't do anyone any good," said Mexsis, adding all First Nations learned a lot about the possible negative effects of media attention through the coverage of the Makah whale hunt.