Russian Inuit Want Bowheads

Russia announced at the 1995 annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission that next year it will ask for a bowhead quota for the Inuit on the Chukotskiy Peninsula.

At present, the Inuit have a quota of grey whales, but it is the hunt for bowheads that is most deeply rooted in their culture, and they also find the taste of bowhead meat tastier. Some of the meat from the grey whales currently being harvested is being fed to foxes on fur farms.
In December 1992, the IWC secretariat was informed in writing by the Russian whaling commissioner that, because of problems in providing native people with traditional food, the Russian Fisheries Committee had made an exception to permit the catching of three bowheads by traditional methods. But in later reports from the Russians it was stated that the three bowheads were never caught.

If a quota is given to the Russian Inuit, this will be from the same bowhead stock currently being harvested by the Inuit of Alaska.