Fw: Comments on sea otter capture due Friday

[Guest guest]

- Suzanne Roy

ar-news

Monday, July 09, 2001 1:31 PM

Comments on sea otter capture due Friday

IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS ACTION ALERT July 9, 2001 Contact: Suzanne Roy, 415/898-2720

HELP SAVE ALASKAN SEA OTTERS!OPPOSE CAPTURE BY JAPANESE AQUARIATwo Japanese aquaria - Aquamarine Fukushima in Iwaki and Ibaraki Prefectural Oarai Aquarium -- have applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for permits to capture eight adult Northern sea otters from the waters of Alaska. The Federal Register notice follows this alert. Comments on the applications must be faxed or postmarked by Friday July 13.Please write today to urge the federal government to deny permits for the capture of wild sea otters in Alaska. In order to be considered, letters must be substantive (see points to consider below) and addressed to:The U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceDivision of Management Authority4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 700Arlington, Virginia 22203Telephone 703/358-2104 fax 703/358-2281Points to Include in Your Letter1. The northern sea otter population has declined dramatically. On July 5, 2000, ENN News reported that "a recent survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed that the sea otter population in Alaska's Aleutian Islands has declined 70 percent since 1992 and 95 percent or more throughout much of the archipelago since the 1980s. A survey conducted in the 1980s by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimated that there were 55,000 to 100,000 sea otters in the area. This number has declined dramatically to only 6,000 otters, according to the recent survey." The capture of these sea otters will have potentially significant effects on marine mammals and on the ecosystem of which they are part. It will also place unnecessary stress on a threatened population of marine mammal. 2. The wild capture and international transport of sensitive and highly intelligent sea otters is stressful and potentially fatal to these animals. In 1998, six sea otters were captured off the Alaskan coast and sent to three Japanese aquaria; two of the otters died within a week of their arrival. 3. The standards of care for marine mammals in Japanese aquaria do not meet U.S. standards and Japan has no effective animal protection laws. The U.S. Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) requires that such standards be met before a permit for capture of marine mammals can be issued to a foreign facility. Last year, a similar application for capture of Northern sea otters for Japanese aquaria was withdrawn after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) determined that neither facility seeking to capture sea otters had conditions that met the standards of the U.S. Animal Welfare Act. Eyewitness testimony indicates that conditions at least one of the facilities, the Oarai Aquarium, are similarly substandard. In late 1999 Mark Berman, Assistant Director of Earth Island Institute's marine mammal program visited this facility. According to him:

"The [Oarai] aquarium has a small tank used for petting and feeding 4-6 begging bottlenose dolphins taken from the brutal drive fishery. In addition, the main show pool had at least 2 false killer whales and one pacific white-sided dolphin from the drive fishery in Taiji. These cetaceans were doing ridiculous circus tricks. The pinnipeds were kept in extremely small cages without tanks. Inside the warehouse was a tank with three bottlenose dolphins newly captured from Futo drive fishery and were visibly agitated and ignoring the trainer. However, it was apparent the dolphins were breaking down as they continued to beg for dead fish. Keeping them hungry is the training method." 4. The Japanese aquaria fail to fulfill the education and conservation requirement for capture of marine mammals under the MMPA. According to Earth Island Institute's Mark Berman, both aquaria seeking permits have collected animals in Japan through the brutal drive fisheries, annual events in which hundreds of dolphins are driven ashore and slaughtered, while a handful are set aside for sale to the aquarium industry. The National Marine Fisheries Service has already determined that the drive fishery does not constitute a humane method for capturing marine mammals. The aquaria cannot participate in these appallingly inhumane drive fisheries and still claim that their programs promote conservation and education. 5. The aquaria have not met the burden of proof under the MMPA demonstrating the need to collect wild sea otters. It is estimated that 100 captive northern sea otters live in 29 facilities in Japan. Although we oppose keeping sea otters in captivity, it is clear that through the implementation of loan and exchange programs, the population currently in captivity in Japan can satisfy the desire of these aquaria for public display of sea otters. ================================DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Notice of Receipt of Applications for Permit Marine Mammals The public is invited to comment on the following application(s) for apermit to conduct certain activities with marine mammals. Theapplication(s) was submitted to satisfy requirements of the Marine MammalProtection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and theregulations governing marine mammals (50 CFR 18). Written data, comments, or requests for copies of these completeapplications or requests for a public hearing on these applications shouldbe sent to: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceDivision of Management Authority4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 700Arlington, Virginia 22203Telephone 703/358-2104 fax 703/358-2281THESE REQUESTS MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THEPUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. Anyone requesting a hearing should givespecific reasons why a hearing would be appropriate. The holding of such ahearing is at the discretion of the Director. Applicant: Aquamarine Fukushima, Iwaki, Japan, PRT-020575. Permit Type: Take and Export for public display Name and Number of Animals: Northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris lutris), 1.2 Summary of Activity to be Authorized: The applicant requests a permit tolive capture from the waters of Alaska 3 adult Northern sea otters andexport them to their facility in Japan for the purpose of public display. Source of Marine Mammals: Wild sea otters from Alaska. Period of Activity: Up to 5 years, if issued Applicant: Ibaraki Prefectural Oarai Aquairium, Ibaraki, Japan. PRT-043001Permit Type: Take and Export for public display Name and Number of Animals: Northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris lutris), 1.4Summary of Activity to be Authorized: The applicant requests a permit tolive capture from the waters of Alaska 5 adult Northern sea otters andexport them to their facility in Japan for the purpose of public display Source of Marine Mammals: Wild sea otters from AlaskaPeriod of Activity: Up to 5 years, if issuedDated: June 1, 2001. Monica Farris, Senior Biologist, Branch of Permits,Office of Management Authority. [FR Doc. 01-15092 Filed 6-14-01; 8:45 am]BILLING CODE 4310-55-P