However, in 1991 his nephew was recruited to the crew. In 1996, he became a harpooner with his own boat and crew. The meat is shared among those involved in the hunting and the processing of the whales. It is then sold and consumed domestically. USA The USA is still a whaling nation, as bowhead, beluga and gray whales are hunted by the Alaskan Eskimos.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that a couple of minkes are also occassionally taken.
In 1997, the Makah tribe in Washington State got the green light from the IWC to resume the hunt for gray whales after a 70 years hiatus, with an annual quota of four animals. The Makah tried to get a gray last autumn, but due to several factors were unable to catch one. They managed to take one whale in May 1999.