The Solomon Islands will ban the export of live dolphins by January 2012, revoking a decision of the previous administration led by Dr. Derek Sikua, who lifted a similar ban in 2005.
The Ministry for Environment and Conservation say that the continuation of exports of 50 live dolphins for the remainder of 2011 is in place to allow businesses to modify their business plans ahead of the ban taking effect. The Government states that ‘On the subject of CITES Export Permit issued to Fulaiala Company, we confirm that a normal 6-month permit was issued to Fulaiala on 4 April 2011. This permit is still valid, the outbursts of Earth Island Institute aside.’
The Earth Island Institute and other environmentalists are raising their voices in concern about the dolphins awaiting export this year, with the China Animals and Welfare Committee threatening to intercept dolphins destined for China.
The Government claims that the ban had nothing to do with pressure from foreign organizations, although New Zealand PM Helen Clark and the EU have threatened sanctions against Solomon Island tuna if a ban was not put in place.
The trade in live dolphins to aquariums and recreational centres is highly lucrative, with one animal fetching around $30,000, paid for by clients ranging from Dubai-based Atlantis, The Palm, and others in Mexico and China. Submitting a wild animal to the conditions in these water parks is in itself extremely cruel, and the transport done by air cargo can often be a lethal experience for the dolphins.
Solomon Islanders hunt dolphins traditionally through so called drive hunting, which is similar to the cruel method seen in the documentary ‘The Cove’. The dolphin teeth play an important role as part of the bridal gift, but islanders are coming to see reasons for keeping pods alive, with a ceremony in the Otoradai village marking the end of these hunts for several communities that traditionally hunted dolphins.
The upcoming ban on live dolphin exports give tenuous hopes for the Solomon Island dolphins, although lacking scientific data on local dolphin numbers makes an estimation on their situation difficult.
Global Ocean hopes that the decision to stop live exports of dolphins will remain in place and that the Solomon Islands realize the value of leaving the dolphins in their natural habitat.
