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The
Save Japan Dolphins Campaign is not just calling on the Japanese government
to stop the killing of dolphins.
Our Coalition organizations also have many positive things to offer
the Japanese fishermen and the local government. Our efforts are
unique, in that we believe that ending dolphin killing will generate
greater benefits for the Japanese people in both the short and long
term. We are not just saying “no”.
The Save Japan Dolphins Campaign can offer:
** Support to the fishermen during a transition away
from killing dolphins: In our talks with the local Taiji fishermen,
when we asked them what they would do if the killing of dolphins were
to be outlawed, they said they would return to fishing for lobsters
and crabs. Fewer than 100 people are engaged in the dolphin-killing
drives in Taiji. There are many ways our Coalition organizations
could help during a transition period.
** Tourism and promotion: Taiji is a spectacular location for
tourism. There are many attractions there, such as the beautiful,
scenic ocean and dramatic, rugged coast and mountains that offer recreational
opportunities including hiking, nature watching, camping, fishing and
boating. The area also boasts some of the most historic and beautiful
religious shrines and temples in Japan. Far more people in Taiji
work for the tourist industry than in the dolphin killing industry and
would benefit enormously from positive publicity for their town as a
tourist destination. It would be of tremendous benefit for Taiji
to renounce dolphin killing, for which it is now internationally notorious,
and embrace eco-friendly tourism. The world would beat a path
to their doorsteps, and the Save Japan Dolphins Campaign, which has
an international breadth and depth, could help by promoting Taiji worldwide
as a tourist destination.
** Whale- and Dolphin-watching: Watching wild whales and dolphins
is very popular throughout out the world and is a growing industry in
Japan.
As
an example, we met recently in the coastal town of Futo with Mr. Ishii,
who used to kill dolphins but now runs successful dolphin- and whale-watching
cruises on his boat. No dolphins have been killed in Futo since
2004.
For
more about the story of Mr. Ishii and his whale- and dolphin-watching
tours, see this video by our colleague, Hardy Jones of Blue Voice:
http://bluevoice.org/webfilms_friendlywhale.php
Several
of our organizations have substantial experience in developing profitable
whale- and dolphin-watching excursions. Mr. Ishii and our Coalition
members are willing to share his expertise in transitioning from dolphin
killing to running dolphin-watching enterprises which could be used
by the fishermen of Taiji and other areas of Japan to replace the killing
of dolphins. They would soon learn, as many others have, that
whales and dolphins are worth more alive than dead.
** Sustainable fishing: The Japanese Fisheries Agency has told
the Taiji fishermen that the whales and dolphins are eating their fish,
which is why fisheries have declined. This is untrue. Not
only do such myths harm whales and dolphins, but also the root causes
of overfishing and pollution are ignored, to the ultimate destruction
of the fishing industry itself. Our Coalition and our colleagues
have expertise in developing truly sustainable methods of fishing that
help protect fish stocks and the environment while providing long-term
economic benefits to the fishermen.
The Save Japan Dolphins Campaign offers these positive approaches in
the hopes that, as with many other countries that have experience in
giving up whale and dolphin hunting, these alternatives can be successfully
employed in Japan. |
