Join Us to Protest Dolphin Slaughter!

[Guest guest]

Reminder: we will be holding another protest, rain or shine, this

Wednesday, December 10, in San Francisco, to protest the

Japanese dolphin massacre.

 

WHAT: 2nd International Day of Protest against Japanese

Slaughter of Dolphins and Whales

 

WHEN: Wednesday, December 10, 2003, 11:00 A.M.

 

WHERE: Japanese Consulate 50 Fremont Street (corner of Fremont

and Mission), San Francisco

 

WHY: To protest Japanese dolphin hunts and to demand the release

of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society activists who have been

held in jail without charges for weeks after freeing some

dolphins captured for slaughter by fisherman in Taiji, Japan.

 

The drive fisheries occur annually in the fall and winter, as

the dolphins migrate. Fishermen take boats out into deep water

to locate dolphin pods. The fishermen then blast loud sounds

that disrupt the dolphins' sense of sonar, which causes them to

lose their sense of direction. This enables them to herd the

dolphins into the bay for the slaughter. Once trapped in the

dead-end coves, the dolphins cannot escape and are hacked to

death with knives and sickles. Some dolphins are taken alive and

put in aquariums and amusement parks, where they suffer a

lifetime of misery in captivity.

 

This year, activists have been on site in Taiji, a small fishing

village on Japan's southernmost tip, since the slaughter began.

Video taken in early October shows the sea turned red with the

blood of dead and dying dolphins, brutally slaughtered with

knives and sickles by Japanese fisherman. The video and photos

are available at http://www.seashepherd.org/taiji.shtml .

 

On November 18, Allison Lance Watson and Alex Cornelissen, two

Sea Shepherd activists on site, jumped into the water after

fishermen had trapped a pod of dolphins in the Bay for slaughter

the next day. After lowering the nets and freeing some of the

dolphins, they were arrested and have been held for over two

weeks without charges or bail.

 

Meanwhile, so far the death toll in Taiji is as follows:

 

Oct. 5th: 91 striped dolphins

Oct. 23rd: 13 short-finned pilot whales

Nov. 4th: 13 Risso's dolphins

Nov. 7th: 42 short-finned pilot whales

 

And, the boats continue to leave port, searching for more

dolphins to drive ashore and slaughter. The Taiji fishermen have

a quota, allowing them to kill an astounding 2,900 dolphins this

year!

 

In addition to the drive fisheries, the Japanese continue to

kill whales under the guise of " scientific research. " The

Japanese whaling fleet is currently on its way to the Southern

Ocean Sanctuary in Antarctica to kill 440 Minke whales, with the

whale meat to be sold on Asian markets at high price ($20-25

kilo) and distributed to school districts despite the high

content of mercury and other industrial pollution.

 

WE MUST KEEP THIS ISSUE IN THE PUBLIC EYE SO THAT WORLDWIDE

OUTRAGE WILL CONTINUE TO BE DIRECTED AT JAPAN AND THE NATION

WILL REALIZE THAT CONTINUING TO SLAUGHTER DOLPHINS AND WHALES IS

SIMPLY NOT WORTH THE COST IN TERMS OF PUBLIC OPINION.

 

On Wednesday, a second round of demonstrations will be held at

Japanese Consulates around the world. The Consulates will report

back to Tokyo, and the message of outrage and compassion for the

dolphins will be sent loud and clear.

 

The activists who have been in Taiji for months have endured

hostility and intimidation from the fisherman and arrest from

the authorities. They have placed their comfort and safety on

the line to protect the dolphins of Japan. Won't you take the

time today to support their efforts by joining us at the protest

on Wednesday?

 

For more information about the issue and the international

protests, see

http://www.seashepherd.org/events/protest031210.html .

 

For more information on the San Francisco protest, contact

Suzanne Roy at In Defense of Animals at sroy or

(415/898-2720), or Mark Berman at Earth Island Institute at

(415/788-3666).

 

 

Thanks!