Despite a government ban on the export of live dolphins from the Solomon Islands, a team from the department of fisheries and a group from Kerzner International travelled to the Solomons three weeks ago to review the possible import of 40 dolphins to the Bahamas, according to Minister of Agriculture V Alfred Gray.
Mr Gray told The Tribune yesterday that the two teams travelled separately to the Solomon Islands Marine Mammal Education Centre last month to ensure that it was up to international standards. He said, however, that he “was not at that time or now” aware of a ban on the export of live dolphins.
“We sent our technical team – headed by Michael Braynen (director of fisheries) – and although I did not personally go on that trip, as far as I am aware, we talked to all the important people there and they did not indicate to us that there would be any obstacle to Kerzner importing the dolphins,” he said. Mr Gray said that the government team approved the animals for import.
Kerzner International yesterday would not comment on the matter beyond stating that the reports of the illegal importation are incorrect and that the company is only in the planning stages of their new dolphin facility at Atlantis.
“The facts that are being circulated are grossly inaccurate. Our plans for a dolphin facility are still in the planning stages. Therefore it is premature to address any specifics,” said Frank Murru, Chief Marine Officer, Kerzner International.
Following reports from the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) on Monday that 40 dolphins will be exported from the Solomon Islands to the Bahamas this week, the Australian and New Zealand governments urged the Solomons to stand by their ban on the export of live dolphins.
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark wrote to Solomons’ Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza seeking assurance that the country’s ban on live dolphin exports remains in place, the Associated Press reported on Monday.
The Solomon Islands government banned live dolphin exports in January of this year following international outrage over a shipment of 28 bottlenose dolphins to a Mexican aquatic theme park in July, 2004.
Yesterday, Australian and New Zealand newspapers reported that their diplomats have been given “several high-level assurances” that the Solomon Islands Cabinet’s ban on dolphin exports remains in force.
They further reported that Solomons prime minister Kemakeza assured his parliament last week that the ban was still in place.
Minister Gray said that if indeed such a ban exits, it would affect Kerzner’s plans to import the dolphins. “I don’t believe Kerzner would import dolphins if they knew a ban was in place, they are much too reputable a company for that. If Kerzner now wants us to inspect any other alternative facilities in other countries then we will gladly do that,” he said.
Bahamian environmental watchdog ReEarth is joining in the international animal rights call against the importation of dolphins to Atlantis Resort’s Kerzner Marine Foundation (KMF).
Letter
In a letter to The Tribune yesterday, ReEarth spokeswoman Sam Duncombe said: “ReEarth unequivocally condemns the capture of wild dolphins wherever they are captured, and the importation of cetaceans into The Bahamas and the Atlantis resort specifically, especially in light of the newly established Kerzner Marine Foundation (KMF), which states its mandate: “To foster the preservation and enhancement of global marine ecosystems through scientific research, education and community outreach.”
“ReEarth asks how the Kerzner Marine Foundation can preserve and enhance the global marine ecosystems when in the same breath it is actively removing species from that global ecosystem and working against the principles of preservation and enhancement?”
ReEarth pointed to scientific studies which have shown that the removal of dolphins from the wild can be detrimental to their populations and social groupings, even affecting how many dolphins will remain in any one geographical area.
Additional scientific studies, the group said, lay bare the cruel ramifications of wild dolphin containment and the destructive effects on dolphin populations globally.
ReEarth warned government yesterday that amidst rumours of dolphin importation to the Atlantis Resort as a part of its Phase III project, possible international backlash could result.
The animal rights group said it has received an average of 250 protest letters a month since The Bahamas government passed its Marine Mammal Protection Act allowing the importation of marine mammals into The Bahamas earlier this year. This was the result of one online action alert posted by ReEarth with an international conservation group with which it is working. Current efforts will combine alerts on six international websites, each having hundreds of thousands of supporters. They will call for letters of protest to be directed at Atlantis.
“It would be mindful of the Bahamas Government to consider that these action alerts are not necessarily posted by ReEarth and that there are other international organizations watching our behaviour here in The Bahamas.
“Our expectation is that this will have a detrimental affect on tourism numbers for the country generally,” said ReEarth.
Additionally, ReEarth highlighted the fact that a sustained unfavourable international reaction to the Kerzner dolphin enterprise could have long lasting negative effects on The Bahamas’ economy, “especially considering the degree to which our economy is intertwined with Kerzner”.
Said Ms Duncombe: “Consider that the Atlantis resort generated 475,000 visitors in 2002, representing 33 per cent of the stopover visitors for Nassau, and revenues representing 10.6 per cent of the GDP and $54 million in tax revenues.
“Also consider that Kerzner is responsible for 16,892 jobs, and that once the Phase III operation is in full swing, an additional 325,000 visitors could be expected to bring a $26 million increase in tax revenues.”
Source: οΎ The Tribune – Nassau, Bahamas
