Although September 20th was Japan Dolphin Day it didn't stop them from starting full swing into the hunting season. Taiji, a small coastal town in Japan, has been the focus of out-of-town protesters because of an annual tradition which contributes to the slaughter of more than 20,000 dolphin and small whales. Ric O'Barry, a dolphin trainer for the 1960s show Flipper, is well-known in the area for trying to stop the practice and spreads the word through SaveJapanDolphins.com.When confronted about the dolphin cull, local fishermen respond that dolphin are the same as fish (more accurately, cetaceans are mammals and fish are not) and feel their practice is no worse than slaughtering beef. According to O'Barry, the yearly hunt is about reducing competition for fish rather than a historical tradition. I wonder what the U.N. thinks about this since they declared 2007 as "The Year of the Dolphin"?
This certainly raises questions about Asian traditions and reliance on the sea as a food source. Should they be forced to change their practices and yield to Western opinion? Or is it a matter of sustainability in an expanding world?
[Via Underwater Times]
1. for sure the latter
Posted at 10:01AM on Jan 9th 2007 by Bozzy