Bowhead whales, the 80 ton monsters that were nearly hunted to extinction in the last two centuries, are now estimated to have increased in Alaskan waters to around 10,000 animals, and the stock is growing even while Alaskan Native people harvest as many as 50 per year. This fantastic report was sent to us by the World Council of Whalers, who spotted an Associated Press piece, by Riley Woodford (October 26, 2003), in The Juneau Empire.

This stock of bowhead whales never leaves the cold waters of the north, but migrates seasonally, apparently in an east-west direction past the North Slope of Alaska. It is highly valued for food, and the present quota of approximately 5 whales for each of ten villages is a welcome staple that coastal Inuit people rely upon each spring and early summer.

The original population strength of these animals is estimated from ships' logs of the number of animals killed for their oil, and the thousands of barrels of that oil that were sold. Approximately 50,000 bowheads once lived in the world's arctic waters, with about 30,000 of those belonging to the Alaskan coast's Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Sea stock. By the time commercial whalers gave up the quest because the animals were so difficult to find, there were only about 3,000 of them left in the world. Commercial oil whalers finally gave up around 1910.

Today, the Alaskan whale hunt is conducted under the rules of the ICRW's Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling plan. Scientists and Alaskans working together have learned that the animals are extremely vocal as they move. Alaskans insisted that there were more animals than white scientists had imagined; when challenged, the scientists used underwater hydrophones, and sure enough, detected so many more voices than had been thought possible, that population estimates were revised upwards. Thus, traditional environmental knowledge, (TEK) has been invaluable in adding to the logic for modern management of these wonderful animals.

IWMC congratulates the Native People of Alaska and the scientists who work with them to keep tabs on this stock of bowheads. The beginning return to healthy numbers of this stock is something for which the entire world is grateful. The harvest benefits not only Alaskans and the maintenance of their cultural traditions, but also contributes in an on-going manner to the scientific examination of this species and to its future success in the cold North. Whale on, friends!