At the Moment, Some Good News for the World's Dolphins

GreenTracker| Ecorazzi reports that to date, no dolphins have been slaughtered in Taiji, Japan since the September dolphin hunt began. Sea Shepherd’s volunteers from Brisbane, Australia are in Taiji, providing information and insights regarding the wellbeing of dolphins being held in the pens around The Cove made famous by Ric O’Barry.

“We understand that dolphin aquariums around the world are feeling the political and economic heat of being associated with the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, so a deal has been struck with the ‘fishermen’ of Taiji,” Scott West of Sea Shepherd said Tuesday in a website report. “They have agreed to not kill dolphins in September and the live traders will select many dolphins during the month.”

Michael Dalton is Taiji campaign director for Sea Shepherd and writes an excellent report about the unusually quiet mood in Taiji for CounterPunch. 

Solomon Islands Update

Far south of Taiji, in the Solomon Islands, the Solomon Star reports that the World Tuna conference was held in Bangkok from September 13-15th, where dolphin hunting and trading in the Solomon Islands was the topic of a presentation by Mark Berman, Associate Director for the Earth Island Institute (EII) based in the United States and associated with Ric O’Barry who made progress at the end of July 2010 to stop further hunting of dophins among several SI tribes.

Earth Island Institute must certify for international export any tuna being caught and processed in the Solomon Islands. At least one major tuna fishery wants to establish dolphin-friendly operations in Solomon Islands. Earth Island Institute insists that dolphin trading must stop before any certification program can be put in place. Local reports are that as many as 1500 badly-needed jobs would accompany a new tuna canning facility.

Read our extensive articles on the hunting, slaughter, export, and cultural history of dolphins.