|
Surfers are the latest to take action against Japanese drive hunts
Acclaimed professional surfer and dolphin defender Dave Rastovich made a bold declaration against the ongoing commercial slaughter of 25,000 dolphins and porpoises killed each year in Taiji Japan.
In a moving ritual Rastovich formed the international crew of surfers, musicians, actors and activists in a circle over the blood stained waters of the small scenic cove and asked each to say a small prayer of remembrance for their fellow waveriders. Surfers have traditionally held dolphins in near sacred regard for their companionship and intelligent fun-loving natures. "In surfing culture, it is customary to hold this type of ceremony to show respect to a surfer who has lost his or her life," said Rastovich.
 Less than 24 hours after the ceremony, fishermen resumed the slaughter that had been delayed by the increased worldwide media attention. In response, the surfers decided in solidarity to make a pre-dawn return to the killing cove to recreate the ceremony. Rastovich and the others paddled within a stone's throw of a pod of captive pilot whales and their calves who had been herded into the cove for early morning slaughter. "I was surprised to find out that some of the locals had little or no knowledge of the high levels of mercury and other toxins contained in the dolphin meat they eat on a regular basis," said Rastovich. "Then when I told them that two of their own city councilmen had made public this same information, they were shocked that I had the information and they didn't."
However the Marine Connection are not surprised at the lack of knowledge by locals or indeed the Japanese in general about these hunts or the issue of contaminants in meat. On 25 September 2007, the Marine Connection co-ordinated the UK section of the worldwide protest against the continuance of these hunts, which takes place in over 40 cities worldwide. During the peaceful protest the charity handed in over 70,000 signatures to the Japanese Ambassador, however sadly, like our many letters, petitions and pleas over the years, they have been ignored.
Margaux Dodds, Director of the Marine Connection states "It would appear that the authorities in Japan and Japanese Embassies worldwide are quite simply choosing to ignore all the calls for an end to this needless slaughter. These annual hunts are responsible for the largest number of kills of dolphins, porpoises and small whales anywhere in the world, but Japan simply refuses to listen. They state tradition as a reason to continue, when in reality only a small number of fishermen take part in the hunts and captures, this is not about tradition, it is about money. More money is obtained for live wild caught dolphins which are then sold on to marine parks than for the dead bodies of the animals, and without the support of the captivity industry these hunts would cease to be profitable."
To read more about the drive hunts click here
|
