New legislation for the protection of marine mammals amounts to the government giving in to corporate power, an environmentalist claims.
Sam Duncombe of ReEath said that the Act to make Provisions for the Protection of Marine Mammals is “disgraceful” and is a sign that “we allow corporate power to dictate our law making process”.
The Act, which was passed in Parliament yesterday, prohibits the capture of dolphins in Bahamian waters and allows for people to apply for licences for such facilities and import dolphins from other countries.
“It is not acceptable that we are allowing the export of dolphins from foreign waters – we have the responsibility to protect all animals globally,” she said.
Mrs. Duncombe said that there has been “nowhere near” enough research, it would be irresponsible to take dolphins from the wild and hold them in captivity, without knowing the long-term effect on the animals.
“It is disgraceful and immoral to take intelligent and self-aware beings from the wild and stick them in pens where ignorant people can be entertained by them and greedy people can stuff their pockets,” she said.
The ReEarth spokesperson further said that allowing new captive dolphin facilities to be established in the Bahamas is being done purely for financial gain.
She said that the government has so far received more than 2000 letters, not 200 as previously reported by The Tribune, from organisations such as the World Society for the Protection of Animals, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the American Humane Society.
“It is disgraceful that these laws are being made while we continue to promote the country as a pristime eco-sensitive destination,” she said.
Source: Karin Herig, The Tribune
