A fierce council dispute has erupted in the historic North Yorkshire fishing town of Whitby over the future of its beloved whalebone arch.
The 12ft structure, positioned atop West Cliff and erected in 1853, is deteriorating rapidly and requires urgent replacement.
Council officials are now weighing three potential solutions: sourcing bones from whales hunted by indigenous Inuit communities in Alaska, obtaining remains from naturally deceased whales, or commissioning manufactured replicas.
During Whitby’s heyday as one of Britain’s premier whaling centres, some 55 vessels operated from its harbour, with records suggesting more than 2,700 whales were captured throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
The present arch was installed in 2002, using bones from a Bowhead whale lawfully hunted by Inuit people from Barrow, Alaska, Whitby’s twin town.
Local wildlife conservation groups have voiced strong opposition to any proposal involving genuine whale remains, regardless of their origin.
Alexandra Smith, manager of Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary, condemned the use of bones from either living or deceased whales.
“While we recognise the historical significance of the Whitby whale bone arch, we would not support the use of real whale bones in its replacement,” she said.
A fierce council dispute has erupted in the historic North Yorkshire fishing town of Whitby over the future of its beloved whalebone arch
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“Whales are a protected species and even when bones are sourced from historic or non-recent specimens, their continued use risks normalising the idea that wildlife body parts are appropriate for public display.”
Ms Smith argued this sends an inappropriate message when international conservation efforts are focused on safeguarding marine life.
She called for a high-quality replica that would preserve the arch’s cultural significance whilst demonstrating modern environmental values.
North Yorkshire Council has confirmed discussions are underway with Alaskan authorities at North Slope Borough regarding the procurement of authentic whale bones, though replica alternatives remain firmly on the table.
Whitby has a historic whale fishing industry, with more than 2,700 whales captured throughout the 18th and 19th centuries
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Chris Bourne, the council’s head of harbours, acknowledged significant logistical hurdles even if genuine bones become available.
The remains would be situated in a “remote location on the Arctic ice-shelf,” requiring local inhabitants to voluntarily retrieve and relocate them.
Extensive cleaning would also be necessary before transportation to Britain, and import authorisation must be secured given the Bowhead whale’s endangered status under CITES regulations.
Councillor Mark Crane, the council’s executive member for harbours, stated: “All options are being considered, but we believe using a replica would be more sustainable, durable and ethical.”
Whitby’s Mayor, Councillor Sandra Turner, has championed the cause of retaining authentic bones for the landmark.
“Obviously, we want to retain our whale bones and we are in the process of working with North Yorkshire Council,” she said. “They’re in contact with overseas bodies to see if we can get a replacement set.”
The Mayor, however, was clear that no whales should be killed for the purpose: “What I will say is, absolutely, we don’t condone the killing of any whales to replace the whale bones that we’ve got.”
She expressed hope that existing specimens might be available: “If there is a set of whale bones that are just in store somewhere that can be put in place, then yes, that would be excellent.”
Whitby Town Council has formally requested North Yorkshire Council to conduct “urgent investigations” into the matter.