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Solomon Islands dolphins - UPDATES
News update 01.07.08
Further dolphin captures have been reported in Solomon Island waters.
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News update 24.06.08
Tour operators commence sales of tickets to Palm Atlantis, Dubai to their customers.
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News update 30.04.08
On April 29, three middle-sized dolphins were caught and brought outside Saru Beach, Baha’i Centre by some fishermen.
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News update 22.11.07
In response to CITES Secretariat’s comments on captures and trade in live dolphins from the Solomon Islands, the Species Survival Network (SSN) and WWF International issued a statement expressing concerns over Secretariat’s actions. The Marine Connection are members of SSN, an international coalition of organisations and individuals committed to the promotion, enhancement and strict enforcement of CITES.
Click here to read the document
News update 17.10.07
It has been reported that four dolphins have already died in holding pens in Honiara, Solomon Islands. 28 of the remaining animals are now on their way to The Palm/Atlantis resort in Dubai but will have to endure a 30 hour flight, adding to concerns for their welfare.
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June 2007
Solomon Islands fisheries minister, Nollen Leni, has responded to letters of protest from the Marine Connection and other NGOs worldwide against the latest dolphin captures. His response to all has been shocking, given his professional stance within the government and clearly show a bias on his part towards support of a return to live dolphin exports, indicating he would not be against an overturn of the current export ban on live dolphins put in place by the previous government.
22 June 2007
The scientific arm of the international trade body that regulates trade in dolphins has denounced plans by the government of the Solomon Islands to allow export of live dolphins to other countries. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in a letter to the Solomons government, insists that any export of wild dolphins would violate CITES because studies on the status of local dolphin populations have never been done.
Click here for further information & copy of IUCN letter
19 June 2007
Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavarehas has called publicly for scientific evidence that the recent captures of dolphins is detrimental to dolphin populations. The Marine Connection have written to the Prime Minister providing details and await his further comments. In the meantime, we were concerned to learn that the government are considering overturning the export ban which was put in place following previous dolphin captures which Mr Porter was involved with in 2003. As no "non deteriment" studies had been conducted and papers produced, these takes were in direct contravention of international law and therefore considered illegal. For those in authority to now overturn this ban would be nothing short of a crime against nature and the Marine Connection have contacted international bodies responsible for ensuring laws are adhered to and upheld in an effort to address their claims and ensure this ban remains in place.
Solomon islands dolphins headed for Dubai
Despite continued attempts to address our concerns with CITES authorities in the Solomon Islands, Dubai and the Secretariat in Geneva, the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins which are currently held in crowded, shallow pools on the island of Gavutu, are to be flown to the Palm Atlantis Resort in Dubai.
The Marine Connection is very concerned that these latest captures have been authorised despite no scientific surveys being undertaken to assess the population status of dolphins in the waters around these Islands. Under CITES law no captures should be allowed until a NDF (Non-Detriment Finding) has been issued by the exporting country. The Solomon Islands have apparently issued this declaration however, as no population studies have been undertaken the charity is therefore challenging the effectiveness of this NDF.
Campaigns Development Officer, Janja Novak comments “There are significant disease issues which can adversely affect marine life in the UAE upon the introduction of new or foreign dolphins. Diseases can also spread to humans if they come into contact with dolphins, and scientific studies have shown that bottlenose dolphins in Solomon Islands areas are infected with Brucella spp., bacteria which can cause a serious debilitating disease in humans. We believe this export should not take place and urge CITES to intervene”.
The charity were therefore very disappointed to read CITES response to concerns raised published on their website
At present it is unclear to which facilities in the UAE the dolphins are headed for but with this area rapidly expanding in tourism, several captive dolphin facilities are being planned and developed. Some facilities in Dubai have previously denied any connection with the importation saying their dolphinaria will only use dolphins bred in captivity, however this latest capture of animals from the wild, is yet another indication that breeding rates in captivity are insufficient to meet requirements and resulting in more captures of dolphins from wild populations to supply demand.
More about transfers to Dubai in our updates above (17.10.07)
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