- REBREATHERS - SPORT DIVERS ... - Stingray Divers

Japan’s Most Dishonorable Act
Recently I received an e-mail with a link
to Oceana’s web site, http://www.oceana.
org/north-america/action-center/. I watched
a video that has also made the rounds
on You Tube. It is a disturbing clip that
documents one of the most inhuman and
brutal mass slaughters imaginable. Dolphins
– warm blooded, intelligent creatures not all
that different from you and me – are being
chassed, trapped and killed by the thousands,
with not even the basic regard for life that is
common in a third-world slaughter house.
This year, as in years past, Japan has begun
its annual dolphin hunting season. Over the
next six months, the hunt is expected to kill
more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises,
the majority being bottlenose dolphins,
pilot whales and striped dolphins. While
Japan’s position is that this brutal practice
is a form of culling, they are actually killing
animals that are on the threatened species
list. Officials claim that the dolphins eat too
many fish, and are therefore a “pest” that
must be removed so as to not compete with
fishermen. In actuality, the meat of these
marine mammals is sold off to supermarkets
and grocery stores.
The full impact of these hunts on the
marine mammal population is unknown due
to the lack of good population estimates
for the various targeted species. Scientists
also don’t know the extent of the disruption
the massacre causes on the complex social
structure of dolphins or the affect on the
ecosystem of removing so many large
animals out of a small area.
Moreover, the wholesale prices for dolphin
meat have plummeted as fears over pollution
levels have turned Japanese consumers
against tinned dolphin.
The Japanese dolphin hunters have
admitted that they are worried the
government will soon shut them down in
light of international outrage over the hunt.
As the publicity grows, the hunters are
forced to hide their actions. They erect fake
signs to divert the general public from the
coves where the dolphins are ultimately
trapped and have outlawed photos and
videos of the killing.
I understand if you just can’t bear
to watch the video, part of me wishes I
hadn’t. For those of you that do choose to
watch it, remember the three minutes and
16 seconds it takes is about half as long
as some of the dolphins take to die. Please
take action today.
Add your name and comments in a letter
addressed to the Japanese Embassy urging
them to end this form of massacre. I have.
For information, visit www.oceana.org.
Or contact:
Maureen Bonnerm
E-Activism Manager, Oceana
Oceana Inc.
2501 M Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20037
Phone: 202.833.3900
email: info@oceana.org
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www.underwaterjournal.com June/July 2007