Dolphin Research

Since my last blog, Ruth and Emilie gave a detailed account of Japan, the culture and their media consumption. Following this myself and Aimee have delved into the dolphins themselves and Japan's perceptions of them. We have also looked at the statutory implications of dolphin hunting and the various conservation groups that are already trying to put a stop to dolphin hunting.

Dolphins

In the eastern tropical Pacific the population is estimated to be 243,500, while in the waters of Japan the population estimates are as low as 37,000. However this is an estimate for bottlenose dolphins, the exact figure of all dolphins is unknown (National Parks Conservation Association, 2011). 

Previous threats have been from Tuna fishing as for some unknown reason Tuna fish generally swim below dolphins. As dolphins are easily noticeable fisherman track them placing a net around the school, the net does not allow dolphins an easy escape. In 1990 after the introduction of "Dolphin Safe" Tuna 97% of dolphin deaths were stopped (Earth Trust, 2011).


Dolphin Hunting

In Japan, Striped, Spotted, Risso's, and Bottlenose dolphins are most commonly hunted. The Japanese town of Taiji on the Kii peninsula is as of now the only town in Japan where drive hunting still takes place on a large scale. Japan's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, reports that the mortality rate for Taiji and nearby Koazagawa, where dolphin meat is also consumed, is over 50% higher than the rate for similarly-sized villages throughout Japan (National Parks Conservation Association, 2011).

Since the 1600's whaling and dolphin hunting has been part of the small village in Taiji and after whaling was banned in Japan, the fishermen turned their hunting skills to dolphins and porpoises to replace the meat and blubber that was lost (Alabaster, 2010).  Some estimates state that 23,000 dolphins are killed around Japan each hunting season (September - March). (Sea Shepherds, 2011)

Because porpoises and dolphin reproduce at a much slower rate than fish they have all but disappeared off the coast of Japan and many of the fisheries that harvested them have gone out of business (World Charter for Nature, 2011). Some of the dolphins herded near Taiji are sold for as much as $150,000 to animal trainers for ocean parks (McCurry, 2009). Those that are killed are sold for their meat at about $600 a head. Defenders of the slaughter argue that it is their tradition and what they do is no worse than the killing pigs and cattle in slaughterhouses (Sea Shepherd, 2011). 

The Hunters

To catch the dolphins, 25 fisherman take to the waters in boats to find schools of dolphins, once they have them in their sights, they are surrounded, the fishermen then bang metal poles together to disrupt the sonar they are then herded into the cove for the slaughter (Sea Shepherd, 2011). But one fisherman told the Los Angeles Times that they have got better at killing the dolphins than in the mid 2000's:

“Killing in groups, we often missed our mark right behind the dolphin’s head. They die more slowly. There was too much blood. It didn’t look good, and the meat didn’t taste as good.” Now dolphins are separated and killed individually. He said they now hit their mark “99.9 percent” of the time. “I know the spot,” he said. “I can make a kill in 10 seconds.” Though this is just a way of life for these fisherman, and the often describe the efforts from westerners as "Cultural Imperialism". (O'Berry, 2011)

Animal Rights Activists/ism

Rick O'Berry, formally the trainer of the dolphins used in flipper, he is the main force behind the activism in Taiji. Animal rights groups have tried to disrupt the hunts and discourage the sale of dolphin meat which they say contains 3.5 times the amount of mercury contamination permitted in food. Activists from the Whaleman Foundation, including Hayden Panettiere, an 18-year-old actress on the American television show Heroes, have paddled out on surfboards to fishing boats engaged in the dolphin to voice their opposition. Panettiere left Japan soon after she participated but was promptly slapped with an arrest warrant. (Dehnert, 2009)

"The Cove" is the film that has inspired this project, from the activism group the Oceanic Preservation Society and Sea Shepherds financed by billionaire owner of Netscape and filmed by National Geographic photographer Louis Psihoyos. This film details the explicit story of the dolphin hunting in Taiji, showing the perceptions of the Japanese people, the politicians, the fishermen and the activists, this is a detailed account of the ongoing suffering and the ongoing effort to stop this. (Denhert, 2009)

Many Japanese are not aware of the slaughter. The Cove was released free on the Internet in Japanese to help enlighten them. Activist are trying to get residents of Taiji to stop eating dolphin and whale. One way they are attempting to do this is by informing them of the dangers of consuming high levels of mercury in dolphins and whales and carrying out mercury poisoning checks on the town’s residents. (Sea Shepherd, 2011)

Laws and Statutory implications (All from Earth Trust Appendix 2, 2011)

International Dolphin Conservation Act (IDCA) (1992, US) Stops hunting in the US of Dolphins for personal and consumer purposes.

Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) (1992, US) Stops the accidental killing of Dolphins (when fishing for yellow fin tuna)

International Laws:

 

Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1975) this is an international treaty that can be signed by a country that adheres to its rules and regulations.

See below for all the information, couldn’t say it better my self

http://www.earthtrust.org/wlcurric/appen2.html#anchor16068834

Final thought

Rick O’Berry – Cultural Imperalism kicks in when the Japanese are attacked on the Cull of dolphins. There is no point attacking Japan, should address the people in Taiji. (O'Berry, 2011)