Killing Nation, Killing Town taiji-cetacean-kill-121712-7-red-cove-9476-400wAs many as 20,000 dolphins, whales and porpoises are killed in Japanese waters each year. Most (18,000 of that number) are Dall’s porpoises killed at sea by harpoon in Northern Japan. On March 11, 2011, a tsunami destroyed much of the infrastructure associated with this slaughter. It is yet to be seen if the slaughter will be restored to its pre-earthquake numbers. Taiji accounts for approximately 2,000 of that figure, depending on the quota that is set yearly. In recent years, the captures for captivity and death numbers have been averaging about 1,600. The annual dolphin drive hunt season runs for a staggering six months, beginning on September 1 and running through to March of the following year. Coastal whaling is then undertaken for the remaining six months of the year in which small whaling vessels carry out harpooning. Each year the dolphin hunters request a permit to hunt dolphins in Taiji and the Governor of Wakayama Prefecture then issues the hunters with an approved permit. There is no evidence that science or sustainability are given any serious consideration during the permit process. It appears that the hunters simply request and suggest the number of dolphins they want to take and the Governor quickly issues the permit. Most of the dolphins and small whales captured in the Taiji dolphin drive hunts are killed and the meat is sold for human consumption, though the number of dolphins captured for the captive industry has risen substantially in recent years, due to the growing international demand from marine parks. Respected scientists around the world warn of the high levels of mercury and other contaminants found in dolphin and whale meat, however many Taiji locals ignore these warnings and continue to consume the meat. A common argument is that there are plenty of old people in the town who have consumed dolphin all their lives; unsuspecting people are unfortunately led by propaganda served to them by the Japanese government, which continues to claim that the mercury in dolphins and whale meat is not a significant threat. Taiji is a very small town, even by small town standards. There are approximately 28 men involved in the dolphin hunts. Though there are many supporters of the drive hunts, there are also many people who oppose them. Not everyone in Taiji appreciates the negative attention attracted by the handful of dolphin hunters, not only in their town but also in their country. These migrating dolphins do not belong to Taiji; they are citizens of the world and of the oceans. Sea Shepherd is committed to continuing to shine an international spotlight on the town of Taiji and its infamous dolphin killing cove in order to apply worldwide pressure to shut this atrocity down. Donate Now
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 10:30:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015