Earth Protect Blog

From: Julian Ryall, Telegraph UK

An animal rights campaigner who trained dolphins for the 1960s television series Flipper has managed to disrupt the first two days of the annual dolphin hunt in the Japanese town of Taiji, but accepts that as soon as he leaves the fishermen will resume the killing.

"There were no dolphins taken on the first two days because we have managed to focus so much media attention on the slaughter," Ric O'Barry told The Daily Telegraph from Taiji. "I feel great, but I know it's only temporary.

"It's very expensive for me be here and I can't stay for the whole six months of the season."

Mr O'Barry plans to remain in the town for a week, but has already had a showdown with local people angry at what they perceive to be interference in the industry.

On Tuesday morning, as he tried to enter a grocery store, the head of the fishing union blocked his way and refused to allow him to buy any food.

"It has been an exciting morning and the people here are very hostile," he said. "But as long as this goes on and we keep the pressure on, they cannot hunt the dolphins."

Mr O'Barry features in a documentary movie called "The Cove," which is to be released in Britain in October but has already won awards at 14 film festivals, and returned to Taiji to monitor this year's cull.

According to the Japan Fisheries Agency, some 20,000 dolphins will be killed for their meat around Japan's coastline during the six-month season, while dozens more - primarily young specimens that can be trained - will be sold to aquariums around the world.

The local police have been cordial to Mr O'Barry, who has in the past been threatened with arrest on charges of conspiring to disrupt commerce. Fishermen have told him and the team that covertly made the documentary that they would kill them if they had the chance.

According to local authorities, 23 fishermen from Taiji will be involved in this year's hunt, killing around 2,300 dolphins that are then sold for human consumption or fertiliser.

They put to sea in a dozen boats before dawn and find migratory pods about 1 mile offshore, Mr O'Barry said. Banging on metal poles in the water, they create "an acoustic net" and herd the dolphins into the bay around which the town of Taiji lies. A net is placed across the mouth of the bay and the fishermen go home for the rest of the day; the belief is that the dolphins will calm down and their meat is more tender.

In reality, Mr O'Barry says, "The dolphins are terrified and frantic."

The following morning, the fishermen return and - with middlemen or representatives of aquariums - select the best specimens for sale, before tying ropes around the tails of the remainder and dragging them backwards to a neighbouring cove where the slaughter is carried out.

A dead dolphin will earn the fishermen around $500, he said, although one that can be trained to appear in live shows is worth around $150,000.