Taiji under pressure?

Has the international attention of the media and others obtained by the release of 'The Cove' put the Japanese under pressure?

For years Ric O'Barry has led the campaign to stop the drive hunts in Taiji, supported by campaigners worldwide but little has been taken up by the media or exposed to the world at large. However with the release of 'The Cove' the tide appears to be changing.

Media interest is heightened and the world now has a window into the secret this town and the captivity industry has long tried to hide. Ric recently visited Taiji with his camera crew to try to deliver the message that the dolphins must be saved. Usually the drive hunt season leaves us all feeling helpless as hundreds of dolphins and small whales lose their lives or are captured for trade. This year however, there is hope. Reports have been received from Taiji that an official at the Taiji fisheries association has reported that 50 of the 100 bottlenose dolphins that were caught in the first catch of the season are to be released, the remaining 50 will be sold to aquariums.

Whilst we all welcome any good news, we have to treat this with caution as the Japanese will not be seen to bow to outside pressure to stop the hunts, which they consider a tradition. Ric O'Barry has said he hopes this is a sign that overseas pressure had worked and expressed the hope that Taiji would now institute a 'no-slaughter policy' and revoke all permits allowing capture and slaughter.

However, we are also led to believe that 50 pilot whales were also captured and killed for their meat, this is being investigated into and we will update when further news is available.