GREEN Issues

TAIJI (JAPAN) DOLPHIN SLAUGHTER

During these hunts, small whales and dolphins are rounded up into shallow bays and slaughtered with knives and hand-held harpoons. The drive fishery in Japan continues due to the demand for the meat however the demand for the animals to supply marine parks far outweighs the demand for consumption.

This killing must be stopped. Since late September members of Sea Shepherd NOMAD & S.S. have been in Taiji documenting the slaughter in an attempt to stop the kills. On 23 October, 30 Melon Head whales were rounded up and driven into the bay but the crew blocked 17 of the animals and saved them from slaughter, however so far 69 striped dolphins and 13 pilot whales have been killed. Dolphin campaigner Ric O’Barry is currently documenting the situation, and there have been no further kills to date. This is compared to last year when hundreds of dolphins and whales were slaughtered in October 2002.





It is obvious that the presence of conservationists like Sea Shepherd NOMAD & S.S. and O’Barry is making a difference to the amount of kills taking place, however, it is extremely disconcerting to note that these campaigners lives have been threatened by the local fishermen participating in these hunts and it is vital that their peaceful protests be acknowledged and they be protected from assault or threat. Many of the general public in Japan are unaware of these hunts taking place in their country and are disgusted when advised of the slaughter.

The drive fishery in Taiji is conducted by Taiji Fishery Cooperative, being granted by the governor of Wakayama prefecture.



WHAT YOU CAN DO

£1 from every booking and retail sale on our website is donated to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Please help us in our support for the important work of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

You can add your name to our petition by simply sending us your full name and town of residence through our contact page and your details will be added within 24 hours.

Please view our PETITION here at the following LINK:
View NOMAD Petition 8

Our PETITION will be sent to all the government officials listed below at the end of this year 2009.

Please help stop this atrocity by writing to the following voicing your condemnation and disgust at this continued inhumane slaughter of wild marine mammals.

Taiji Fishery Cooperative
3167-7 Taiji, Wakayama, 649-5171, Japan
Telephone: +81 735 59 2340
Fax: +81 735 59 2821
Email: taijitfc@cypress.ne.jp

Mr. Yoshiki Kimura
Governor of Wakayama
Prefectural Office of Wakayama, 1-1 Komatsubaradouri, Wakayama-shi, Wakayama-ken, 640-8269, Japan
Telephone: +81 73 441 2034
Fax: +81 73 423 9500
Email: teigen-s@office.wakayama.go.jp or e0001003@pref.wakayama.lg.jp

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
1-6-1 Nagata-cho 1 Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8968, Japan
Japan Form available on website: www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment.html

Mr Yoshiyuki Kamei
Minister of Fisheries
1-2-1 Ksumigaseki 1 Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8907, Japan
Fax : +81 3 3502 8220
Email: white56@maff.go.jp

Ambassador Masaki Orita
Japanese Embassy
101-104 Piccadilly, London, W1J 7JT
Tel: +44 (0)20 7465 6500
Fax: +44 (0)20 7491 9347
Email: info@embjapan.org.uk

To find the nearest Japanese Embassy to you visit:
www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html

"The only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

Thank you for your support.

To Book or Enquire, simply Call us on 0845 872 48 68 or Contact Us