Solomon Star 1 Sep 09;
SOLOMON Islands Marine Wildlife Park yesterday caught about nine dolphins at the Marine school seashore in Honiara.
This came days after dolphin advocacy organisation like Earth Island Institute attacked the Government’s policy to export live dolphins overseas.
It was a rare moment yesterday as hundreds of people turned up to watch the Park’s fishermen trapping the live dolphins with their nets.
The show has turned into an excitement towards the end as the fishermen struggled with the mammals and lifted them onto their boats.
Inside the boat, the fishermen laid new mattresses bought from a shop as bed for the dolphins to rest on.
One of the workers, Erick Chow said the dolphins were taken to their Park’s pen.
The Park’s pen is located behind the Prime Minister’s office.
Mr Chow said as part of their catch, there were 10 dolphins kept in their pen.
He said they were still to verify the number of new dolphins caught when Solomon Star contacted them.
However, Mr Chow said he was not sure which place Park will going to export the dolphins.
Solomon Islands Government’s support for dolphins export has turned into a backfire for the tuna investment on Guadalcanal and Malaita.
This was after Earth Island Institute has informed investors during the 11th Tuna congress in General Santos City, Philippines last week that both Provinces have practised dolphins catch.
However, Western province was singled out because it did not allow dolphins catch in its waters.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Dolphin capture condemned
Solomon Star 3 Sep 09;
EARTH Island Institute (EII) yesterday condemned recent capturing of nine dolphins in Honiara describing it as a disaster.
Earth Island Institute Regional Director and dolphin campaigner Lawrence Makili told Solomon Star from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) that he was disturbed by the news of the capture.
"This is another disaster for the Solomon Islands reputation as a nation especially when such capture of dolphins happens the day before the Pacific Tuna Conference takes place in Port Moresby," he said.
Mr Makili is attending the tuna conference along with his Director Mark Berman.
He said they are going to announce the event in the conference among the Tuna industry investors who also attended the Conference.
He said the capture goes to show that an export will be done soon.
"This also confirms the hypocritical denials of the Minister of Fisheries Nollen Leni of the next shipment of dolphins Overseas.
"The continuation of capturing dolphins confirms that the dolphin traders are certainly continue to export wild captured dolphins overseas," he said.
Mr Makili also questioned Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua's behavior over this ongoing capture saying Dr Sikua is being controlled and powerless on this issue.
"The continuation of dolphin capture in the Solomon Islands affirms that the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Dr Derick Sikua has no control over the Minister for the Fisheries Mr Nollen Leni and the Minister for Environment Gordon Darcy Lilo," he said.
By MOFFAT MAMU
