In 2006 the United Nations announced that 2007 would be the 'Year of the Dolphin' and launched an initiative to highlight the many dangers faced by wild dolphins. This has since been extended to continue throughout 2008.

Whilst the Marine Connection supports the idea behind the initiative which aims to protect cetaceans and their habitat, the charity strongly opposes the inclusion of TUI as partners as they are one of the largest tour operators which actively promotes and profits from captive facilities worldwide, many of which hold dolphins captured from the wild.

Dolphin Fund, a partnership of non-governmental organisations, governments and industry, and a supporter of the Year of the Dolphin initiative was founded by the Coastal Union (EUCC) to facilitate and fund projects for marine mammals and their habitat. Earlier this year it was confirmed that Dolphin Fund discontinued its partnership with Dolphin Academy in Curacao, a captive dolphin facility and one of the Dolphin Fund partners.

This came about after Sea Aquarium, which also manages Dolphin Academy purchased six bottlenose dolphins captured from the wild in Cuba in 2007. In their statement, Dolphin Fund said that the importing of wild bottlenose dolphins from Cuba is widely considered in contradiction with the agreements of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), the two parties that co-operate with Dolphin Fund.

Cuba is a leading exporter of wild caught bottlenose dolphins and so far no non-detriment findings (NDFs) have been authenticated meaning that further captures and exports could lead to depletion of one or more coastal stocks of dolphins in the area. Therefore, whilst the Marine Connection recognises that Dolphin Fund has discontinued their partnership with Dolphin Academy, we are concerned that two of Dolphin Fund partners and sponsors, TUI Netherlands and KRAS (a sister company of TUI Netherlands) promote and sell excursions to Dolphin Academy and Sea Aquarium.

Dolphin Fund recognises that one of the major threats to bottlenose dolphins (the species most commonly kept in marine parks) is the captivity industry, which helps sustain wild captures due to continued demand for animals. This is supported by tour operators such as TUI who send paying customers to these facilities. If Dolphin Fund feels that the importation of wild caught dolphins from Cuba is considered in contradiction with their objectives, then partnership with all sponsors that profit from Dolphin Academy (and other facilities worldwide that keep wild caught dolphins), should be discontinued.

Take Action

Please email the Coastal Union (EUCC), founders of Dolphin Fund also the co-ordinator and board of Dolphin Fund asking them to remain committed to their aims to protect dolphins in the wild by discontinuing their partnership with TUI Netherlands and KRAS - who both continue to profit from wild dolphin captures.