Modules Relationship Between Indigenous Knowledge, Whale Protection, and Maritime Commerce mdi-help-circle-outline {{card.title}} Learn More {{card.description}} {{ card.title }} {{ card.par1}} {{card.par2}} {{card.par3}} True or False: {{card.unlockQuestion}}
True False {{ card.feedback }} Close Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) refers to the cumulative body of knowledge developed by Indigenous communities over hundreds of years through direct contact with their local ecosystems. It encompasses knowledge of animals, plants, natural phenomena, techniques for fishing and hunting, and a holistic knowledge analogous to the scientific discipline of ecology. While TEK is valued by Aboriginal governments for its ability to provide a baseline of information about a local environment, it remains less prioritized than Western science due to its qualitative nature and oral tradition. However, there exists a growing awareness among Western scientists of the value of TEK and increased efforts to pair it with science in environmental management. This perspective is highly relevant in marine environments, where TEK can complement scientific data and inform environmental decision-making. About this Module This module examines the relationship between Indigenous knowledge, whale protection, and maritime commerce through various case studies and research analyses. Each card either presents a real-world example or meta-analysis that highlights how Indigenous knowledge informs, challenges, or is excluded from environmental management - particularly regarding whale conservation and maritime commerce. The topics include:
  • The Bering Strait: A strait between Russia and Alaska where increasing shipping activity risks the health of the local wildlife and Indigenous communities.
  • The Makah Whaling Controversy: A conflict over Indigenous whaling rights and Western preservation, rooted in the historical expansion of commercial whaling and maritime trade.
  • The Haida Gwaii Marine Plan: A cooperative initiative between the Council of the Haida Nation and the Province of British Columbia that demonstrates how TEK can guide the regulation of shipping and marine development.
  • TEK Orca Protection: A case examining the decline of Southern Resident Killer Whales, where shipping traffic, noise pollution, and reduced prey availability highlight the need to integrate TEK with scientific and policy approaches to conservation.
  • TEK, Beluga Whales, and Arctic Shipping: A meta-analysis demonstrating Indigenous knowledge’s contribution to our understanding of beluga whales and utility in environmental governance, despite being treated as supplementary.
 How to Use this Module Use the slider at the bottom of the screen to move between cards in the deck. Click "Learn More" to read a detailed description of the center card.

After clicking "Learn More", a true or false statement can be found at the bottom of the dialogue box. To unlock the next card, you must correctly identify the statement as true or false. References

Biedenweg, K., Anderson, L., Chisholm Hatfield, S., Hollender, R., Kintner, L., & Trimbach, D. J. (2023). Seeking consilience: Traditional ecological knowledge and western social science contributions to orca conservation knowledge. Journal for Nature Conservation, 72, Article 126364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126364

Breton-Honeyman, K., Furgal, C. M., & Hammill, M. O. (2016). Systematic review and critique of the contributions of traditional ecological knowledge of beluga whales in the marine mammal literature. Arctic, 69(1), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic4543

Curtis, A. (1910). Makah Indians cutting up a whale on the beach, Neah Bay [Photograph]. University of Washington Libraries. Link

Durney, F. (2020). Appropriate targets: Global patterns in interaction and conflict surrounding cetacean conservation and traditional marine hunting communities. Environment and Society, 11(1), 78–101. https://doi.org/10.3167/ares.2020.110104

Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Bering Strait [Image]. Link

Erikson, P. P. (1999). A-whaling we will go: Encounters of knowledge and memory at the Makah cultural and research center. Cultural Anthropology, 14(4), 556–583. Link

Gomez, C. C. (2019, April 12). ‘Our relatives under the water’: Lummi release salmon to ailing orcas. KUOW. Link

Hubbard, S. (n.d.). Haida canoe [Photograph]. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Link

Huntington, H. P., Daniel, R., Hartsig, A., Harun, K., Heiman, M., Meehan, R., & Stetson, G. (2015). Vessels, risks, and rules: Planning for safe shipping in Bering Strait. Marine Policy, 51, 119–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2014.07.027

Marine Mammal Commission. (n.d.). Southern resident killer whale. Link

Marine Planning Partnership Initiative. (2015). Haida Gwaii marine plan 2015. Link

McGee, G., Byington, J., Bones, J., Cargill, S., Dickinson, M., Wozniak, K., & Pawluk, K. (2021). Marine plan partnership for the North Pacific Coast: Engagement and communication with stakeholders and the public. Marine Policy, 142, 104613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104613

McGee, G. (2021). Marine plan partnership for the North Pacific Coast [Photograph]. Marine Policy, 142, 104613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104613

McKie, R. (2017, March 26). Shrinking Arctic sea ice threatens the majestic beluga whale. The Guardian.

National Park Service. (n.d.). Seasonal sea ice and Arctic migrations of the beluga whale. U.S. Department of the Interior.

Shirk, A. (2015, July 1). A superhighway across the Bering Strait [Photograph]. The Atlantic. Link

Sutherland, D., & Ashford, G. (2003). A teacher’s guide for the video Sila Alangotok: Inuit observations on climate change. Manitoba Education and Youth.

Thompson, E. (1999, May 17). Two Makah Indian whalers stand atop a gray whale [Photograph]. Associated Press. Link

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