"Cruise ship kill at least one whale a year and no one gets to eat any of it. Cruise ship arrived in Ketchikan this morning with a humpback impaled on the bow. Second time here in at least five years. Last year a cruise ship arrived in Seward with one. These are only the ones that are not covered up by the cruise ship companies. So, how is that for "illegal" hunting or death of a protected whale ?"

If you believe a cruise ship running over a whale is the same as a bunch of guys jumping into a boat and shooting hunting rifles at one I don't know what to tell you, but it's disingenuous at best.

If the captain saw the whale and then changed course and ran it over on purpose, then prosecute him.  Having said that the cruise companies should be fined heavily every time they accidentally run over a whale. If they protest, tough, they have enough money at their disposal to figure out a way to prevent it from happening any more.