Opposition to the Drive Fishery

For many years environmental groups have protested the drive fishery with petitions, letters, faxes, and emails to Japanese government agencies, often sparked by the release of bloody pictures and videos, such as those done by film-maker Hardy Jones from Iki Island in 1980.

In February 1997, Taiji fishermen using drive fishery methods captured 10 orcas and sold five orcas to marine parks in Japan, which galvanized world-wide protests on behalf of the “Taiji Five.” orcas.

Environmental groups have organized yearly world-wide protests in front of Japanese embassies and consults, presenting petitions and demands to officials to stop the killing. For the past few years, the protests have been called “Japan Dolphin Day.” The Sept 25, 2007 demonstrations were organized by Ric O’Barry, director of the Save Japan Dolphins Coalition, and consisted of 83 Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) protesting in 42 cities around the world.

Surfers Protest the Dolphin Slaughter
In October 2007, a group of professional surfers, activists and actors from Australia, New Zealand and US, led by surfer Dave Rastovich, and actress Hayden Panettierre (TV star of Heroes) paddled out into the Taiji killing cove and formed a ceremonial circle to honor the dolphins. They were harassed by the fishermen with their boats and poles. The demonstrators escaped without injury and generated much media coverage on American television programs like Entertainment Tonight.

References/Links

Dexter, by Howard Hall

Stopping The Japan Drive Kills, Late 70s and early 80s

Story of Hardy Jones’ Effort to Stop Dolphin Slaughter, narrated by Matt Damon

Activists Comfort Dying Dolphins, Japan Times, Nov. 3, 2007

Japan Dolphin Day 2007

Night work In Japan, by Ben White, AWI Quarterly, Spring, 1993

Iki Island 1980 Dolphin Slaughter
—Howard Hall

Taiji, Oct. 2003.
—Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Orca capture
—©EIA/Claire Bass

Demonstration at the San Francisco Japanese Consulate, Mark Berman of Earth Island Institute presents, Japanese vice-consul with petition demanding end to the drive fishery dolphin slaughter.

Japan Dolphin Day 2007: 100 people demonstrated outside the Japanese Embassy, London.
—©EIA/Claire Bass

Japan Dolphin Day 2007: 40 people demonstrate at the Japanese consulate in Toronto.
—Zoocheck Canada

Japan Dolphin Day 2007: Demonstrators at the Japanese consulate, Boston

Surfer protesters in Taiji harassed by fishermen
—Surfers For Cetaceans