Conservation group cuts nets, freeing dolphins in Taiji, Japan

The European-based conservation group The Black Fish claims to have cut the nets of holding pens in Taiji, Japan, freeing "a number of dolphins" that had been selected for sale to aquariums and so-called dolphinariums around the world.

The Black Fish used divers who swam out in rough conditions and cut the nets of six pens. The group claims no arrests were made.

Fishermen in Taiji are participating in an annual dolphin capture that began on Sept. 1. The mammals are either sold or killed for meat. The hunt gained global notoriety last year because of the Oscar-winning documentary, "The Cove."

Earlier this week, Ric O'Barry, the renowned activist whose efforts were featured in "The Cove," reported that several Risso's dolphins had been killed by the dolphin hunters. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society recently documented the killing of pilot whales and Risso's dolphins.

The Black Fish effort was the first act of vandalism this year on behalf of the marine mammals.

Said group co-founder Wietse ven der Werf, "The connection between the dolphin entertainment industry and this annual drive hunt can no longer be denied. To be successful in our campaigns in Europe we need to get to the root of this illegal trade, which is right at Taiji."

The annual hunt is backed by Japan's fisheries agency and several aquariums and dolphinariums purchase dolphins caught by the Taiji fishermen.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo showing Japanese fishermen inspecting penned dolphins courtesy of Black Fish

Comments

[Sea Shepherd Wins]

SEA SHEPHERD WILL WIN!!!
THIS YEAR IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT! WATCH OUT WHALE & DOLPHIN MURDERERS!!

[Dawn Groth]

To those who are sickened by these efforts. I must say this. You are right, here in america we have our own problems as well with the way animals are treated. And we are working on those as well. So it is not as if we are saying one meat is okay and another is not. As a vegetarian. I hope to end the killing of animals as food entirely. Yet realize it will take alot of effort on ALL people's parts, all around the world. We must stop, and look at these animals in a different light. And ask ourselves, is it right to take their life? When there are other things available for us to eat and sustain ourselves.

[nobias]

You'll guys should watch 'We feed the world' Look at how large western corporations are slaughtering chickens, make us eat stale fish and veggies and are messing up the world. Other issues not addressed are toxic wastes from all the hardware we use in this high tech world. I believe there is more than just dolphins and whales at stake here.

[drudown]

It is silly for Sunday to assert that westerners are "full of conceit", when the Japanese share the selfsame indulgences.

This one fact seems to elude both sides of the fence: Cultural Relativism works and is. At a deeper level, I agree with Sunday in the sense that it is disingenuous for a culture that slaughters and consumes nearly every edible creature to arbitrarily decree that whales and dolphins are "off the menu" on account of alleged "higher intelligence." Not so, says the Great White. Killer Whales eat other dolphins and will rip out the soft tongue of Grey Whale calves, leaving the rest for the White sharks. Many people in Africa love to eat Chimpanzees. As such, can any given culture unilaterally decree these primates are off the menu because of their purported intelligence? Pigs, as is well known, are extremely intelligent, and pigs, as is less known, will eat humans under extreme circumstances. Do we live in a dog-eat-dog world or not?

If humans were not "supposed to eat other animals"...we wouldn't have HCL in our stomachs. But we do, and the Japanese have flipper in theirs too.

As for the people who have this incredible tenderness for cetaceans?

"Thy love afar is spite at home." - Emerson

[Sunday]

So foreigners force us to eat what we have never eaten,
and tell us not to eat what we have eaten for a long
time. Shut up and mind your own business.

[Sunday]

A cow disease spread in the USA, Japan
stopped buying cow meat from them. It lasted
for some time, USA wanted Japanese to buy it,
but we refused because it is dangerous for
our health. Then USA insisted they
would impose sanctions..Many Japanese food store
changed to sell pig meat. Still USA insisted
the same, so Japanese prime minister ate cow
meat before us (USA's cow meat is safe, eat it)

So, you can kill animal for money, I don't
believe you are so good.. You want to control
what Japanese eat, remember, I am not your slave.
Australian sells kangaroo meat to us, do you know, I didn't even
know kangaroo can be eaten.

[Sunday]

I feel sick when you say proudly
(oh, we are doing such a good thing, go to
Japan and cut the net)
I just feel sick when I see you
think you are a good person...
You don't feel pity for the animal when your country people
kill cows, why do you feel pity when Japanese
kill dolphins? For Japanese, dolphin and whale
is not so important, we regard dolphin and
whale and cows and pigs are equal. I really
just can't understand why you westerner regard
only whales and dolphins are so special, it
really makes me sick. You insist dolphins and whales
are so special than others because you want to talk badly
about Japanese.. we have eaten fish for a long time, I don't
think eating fish is bad thing. For us, they are fish.

[Sunday]

What you did in Japan is criminal, apologize to me soon.
I am Japanese. I never think killing dolphin is bad, you kill
cows and pigs and you don't think that is bad. who can decide your opinion is better than me?

I just feel bad when I see you people are full of conceit.

[Taiji Must End]

@ Sea Shepherd Groupies

Paul Watson has spent millions of dollars over the past 25 years trying to stop seal hunting in Canada. Failed. He has spent millions over the past decade trying to stop whaling. Failed.

Taiji is one example of how Sea Shepherd fails.

They parachute into an established issue, send out some Facebook posts and a few media bytes, ask for donations and then declare some kind of pyrrhic victory.

This is the new/old face of top heavy direct action NGO's.

Meanwhile a small group like Blackfish get in there and actually DO something. Make no bones about it there are those that do, and those that stand on the sidelines whining about dolphins being killed 200 yards away.

Thanks to a few very vocal blind followers the cult of Sea Shepherd is maintaining the myth that wildlife is being saved under their watch. In reality the status quo of big dollar donations and season three of a reality television show IS Sea Shepherd.

The world is getting pretty tired of seeing Watson and Company hanging out in Hollywood snacking on $40 vegan pastries while pontificating that they and they alone save animals.

Helooo...Taiji, dolphins being killed, you have anything better then a blog worthy witness on site this year?

Oh, and you do not get any points for showing up to document animals being slaughtered anymore. You either make change, or get the hell out of the way.

Shoveling dollars at Paul Watson is as effective as setting fire to snow pants in the dead of winter. Yes, it looks good on camera and you get warm for a while, but that cold dark night will get you every time.

Let's get serious about direct action shall we?

[joe seminara]

That's the to do it you go Black Fins.Keep up the good work

[Good4BlackFish]

AWESOME Blackfish! Thank you!

@Hank: See this post by the 16 ear old girl who is in Taiji-- I think that pretty much sums it up.

http://eloramalama.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/where-to-begin-i/

@Taiji Must End
Ric O'Barry, Sea Shepherd, and other NGOs have all said -- it will take many different people different groups and different methods to put an end to this. If anyone from Sea Shepherd does anything IN Japan-- they will be sentenced to life in prison. So their part IN Japan is to document.

Where is Greenpeace? WWF? PETA? These NGOs have MILLIONS of dollars and many more people to help. WHERE ARE THEY in this? Don't criticize SSCS or anyone else while you sit on your butt from home while they and others like the SaveJapanDolphins team are out there... and the ONLY ones out there, by the way-- except for some people that are sacrificing everything to help bring attention to it by traveling there to see for themselves.

Good for Blackfish, SSCS, SJD, & all those visitng Taiji. Bless you all!

Don't forget the worldwide protest October 14th at a embassy/consulate near you. Details http://savejapandolphins.org/blog.html

[Mr Philips]

@'Taiji Must End'
Where were you in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary for the past 5 years? Perhaps you noticed the fact that Sea Shepherd where there and you were not?
EVERY penny donated to Sea Shepherd gos into opposing the Japanese whaling fleet. Sea Shepherd's actions and presence in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary has been well documented by Animal Planet. No other environmental group has bothered to oppose the slaughter in the Whale Sanctuary.

[Ron Ball]

to Taiji Must End; where are you and what are you doing to end this travisty? I say a victory for one is a victory for all. Kudos to any and all who are doing any thing to end the slaughter or draw attention to Taiji

[Taiji Must End]

Where was Sea Shepherd or any of the Facebook crowd who have been HOWLING about Taiji for the past month?

Took an independent group who are NOT asking for donations to do something there for the dolphins.

SSCS and Paul Watson really don't get it do they?

(Send money to them anyway so they can continue to do nothing.)

Shame on all the save the whale wannabe's who are hanging around like whale paparazzi posting "I am here" tweets - way to go Black Fish dudes!

[Robert Forsey]

Thank you for helping our friends,they are back where they belong(FREE). Keep up the great work

[Hank Melville]

Is there any independent corroboration of this story? The only source seems to be the "black fi$h", whose web site uses the word contribution multiple times. Sounds like a $$C$ wannabe to me.

Hank Melville
Boulder, CO