Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association Conference update

The Marine Connection and several other groups worldwide supported a booth for the "Keep Dolphins Free" coalition at the 2006 Florida Cruise Company Association (FCCA) conference to raise awareness within the cruise industry about the issues surrounding dolphins in captivity and propose the alternatives to developing dolphinariums. This was an excellent opportunity for the coalition as it is important that those involved in the cruise industry, which makes up approximately 85% of the custom to dolphinariums in the Caribbean, are aware of the truth surrounding these facilities.

Reports from the Cayman Islands, where the FCCA was held, suggest that the conference was a success with many cruise company delegates visiting the booth to discuss the issues. Undertaking presentations, radio shows, press conferences and interviews, the groups sent a consistent and strong message to the cruise industry throughout the conference and plan to follow this up so that the message continues to be heard.

There are two dolphinariums planned for the Cayman Islands despite a recent policy change banning any further captive dolphin developments within the Cayman Islands. This campaign is relevant however, not only to the Cayman Islands, but the wider Caribbean area where there has been a proliferation of captive facilities in recent years. The cruise industry supplies the majority of the customers for these facilities which made the FCCA a perfect base to strengthen the campaign and encourage the cruise industry to follow the lead of Regent Seven Seas which ceased selling excursions to captive dolphin facilities in 2005.

At a press conference at the Ritz-Carlton, Billy Adam of the Keep Dolphins Free movement told reporters why his organisation chose to target the cruise industry at that forum.

"The cruise industry throughout the Caribbean and the Cayman Islands supply about 85 percent of the customers for those destinations that have captive dolphin facilities," he said. "If we want to talk to them we need to go to the turf where they are and this is the FCCA show. We're here to educate, to show sources of information where they can go and learn about the captivity of marine mammals."

"Cruise people that we've spoken to, they're beginning to also realise that they individually and collectively as the FCCA need to take a look at the subject," he said.

Martha Watkins Gilkes, of Antigua and Barbuda Independent Tourism Promotion Corporation, said that Antigua and Barbuda was forced to shut down a similar facility after environmental damage. The panelist said that her organisation's concerns were twofold - environment and moral issues involving dolphins in captivity.

"There's a lot of moral issues in keeping dolphins in captivity and taking them from quality of life," she said.

Ms Gilkes said that her independent body had been greatly concerned about the multiplier effects that the project had on Antigua and Barbuda. "It served to benefit only a few while the majority would bear the burden of environmental damage and negative publicity," she said.

The "Keep Dolphins Free" coalition's slogan was to "Break the chains, keep dolphins free," and we very much hope that the 1,200 delegates have taken onboard the serious concerns for dolphins and the environment.

Source: Cayman Net News
Booth image: Naomi Rose / HSUS
Image of cruise ships in bay: NOAA