Dolphin Exploitation
Dear Editor,
May I reiterate that unless and until EII start taking practical steps to deal with the issue of indiscriminate fishing practices of purse-seiners in the western pacific region, its campaign against dolphin export in the Solomons may not be seen as balance.
It must be understood that purse-seiners are not selective and therefore not only dolphins are strangled to death in the process of catching tuna but other marine mammals and fish species as well as by-catch. If you know of some dolphins' behavior in relation to tuna, you won't ask for evidence.
As far as dolphin trade goes, I prefer sustainable harvesting, and to that end may I call on EII to conduct a research in Solomon waters at their own cost to determine to some extend the dolphin populations so that allowable catch may be determine to back up the quota system tried by past governments. This would seem the sensible approach rather than a total ban that benefits no one while dolphins continue to be brutally strangled to death by purse-seiners in the wild.
May I reiterate that unless and until EII start taking practical steps to deal with the issue of indiscriminate fishing practices of purse-seiners in the western pacific region, its campaign against dolphin export in the Solomons may not be seen as balance.
It must be understood that purse-seiners are not selective and therefore not only dolphins are strangled to death in the process of catching tuna but other marine mammals and fish species as well as by-catch. If you know of some dolphins' behavior in relation to tuna, you won't ask for evidence.
As far as dolphin trade goes, I prefer sustainable harvesting, and to that end may I call on EII to conduct a research in Solomon waters at their own cost to determine to some extend the dolphin populations so that allowable catch may be determine to back up the quota system tried by past governments. This would seem the sensible approach rather than a total ban that benefits no one while dolphins continue to be brutally strangled to death by purse-seiners in the wild.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this letter are those of Drummond O and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Solomon Times Online.