A plan to replace Whitby’s deteriorating Whale Bone Arch is facing legal, moral, and international obstacles.
The future of one of Whitby’s “most enjoyed landmarks”, the Whale Bone Arch facing Whitby Abbey, is facing various issues including the logistics of sourcing and transporting replacement bones from North America, as well as questions about its ethics.
Whitby Town Council has formally asked North Yorkshire Council to undertake “urgent investigations” into the future of the whalebones in Whitby and to provide costed options for replacement, refurbishment, and alternatives such as a replica replacement.
The original Whale jawbone arch was erected some time after 1853, and was last replaced in 2002 from Whitby’s twin town of Barrow in Alaska after a worldwide appeal.
The bones came from a whale that was killed legally by native Inuit in 1996.
NYC said that the request is being progressed and Chris Bourne, the council’s head of harbours and coastal infrastructure, has said he is “in communication with the mayor’s office in Anchorage, Alaska about this”.
Mr Bourne, who “dealt with procuring the existing bones some twenty-five years ago”, added that Alaskan authorities “are currently trying to speak to those involved previously at North Slope Borough (Barrow)”.
Very remote location’
However, the council has said that if a new set of bones were available, that is where other issues begin.
“It would be likely the bones would be in a very remote location on the Arctic iceshelf, and there would have to be a willingness for the residents to recover and move them to a suitable location,” according to Mr Bourne, head of harbours.
The bones would require thorough cleaning before a logistics company would carry them on an aircraft, and the “biggest hurdle”, according to the council, would be gaining the right permission to import the bones to the UK.
The species, Balaena Mystecitus, is protected under CITES regulation, which led to a “lengthy, time-consuming process” last time.
‘Less socially acceptable’
In addition to logistical and transport issues, ethical questions have also been raised about using the bones of an endangered species.
Whitby Town Council has been recommended to also consider alternatives such as the use of imitation whale bones, which would “now be more fitting” alongside an information board.
NYC said that the connotations of displaying real whale bones should be taken into account: “There is greater concern globally about hunting and it is somewhat less socially acceptable to display real bones.”
At a town council meeting last September, members of the public highlighted the poor condition of the whale bones and the urgent need for maintenance.
Whitby town councillors acknowledged that the Whale Bones “need attention”.
The council has “not received any further response on the availability of whalebones from Alaska” but is chasing the issue, it said.
“We have also sent email requests to other countries, but again, with no response,” Mr Bourne added.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has contacted the Municipality of Anchorage and Mayor Suzanne LaFrance for a comment.
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