Georgia and I met last week, to research the brand with specific interest to Dolphins and the work of the Sea Shepherds.
Taiji is a village located in the Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Japan which is recognised as an area where dolphins are chased into a cove and killed with handheld spears knives and iron hooks. The population of this town is estimated at 3,225 with a population density of 541 persons per Km. Taiji is the reported as the smallest local government by area in Wakayama because unlike others it has not experienced a merger since 1889 when the village merged with Moriura. The Village is at the tip of the Kli peninsula South of Kyoto.
However, it is the annual dolphin hunting that has attracted international criticism and awareness of the town on a global scale.
Historically, Taiji is known as a whaling town with traditional Japanese whaling techniques developed here in the 17th century. Revenue is reportedly the commercial hunting of dolphins remains a major source of income for its residents. The people of Taiji have been killing and eating the contents of the sea around their village for generations and reject that dolphins are special and should be considered different from other fish. It is reported that the fisherman, are bewildered that anyone could find the killings of dolphins cruel.
The key point here is that Dolphins are mammals, and a possible campaign idea could be educating the Japanese people of the significance of dolphins to raise awareness and establish this difference. Also, it is the brutal and violent killing of dolphins that has been called to question since the release of the Oscar winning film the cove in 2009. As a result it has raised the awareness of the dolphin hunting in Taiji, and as a result has generated global criticism of the dolphin culling.
Ric O’Barry is an ex U.S Navy diver who went on to train the five dolphins who played flipper in the television series. However, in 1970 turned against animal captivity. He travels to the town a few times a year to film the annual dolphin hunt for a coalition of environmental groups.
He was quoted to say: “Boycotts are completely useless because the Japanese people don’t even know about this. They tends to be a blanket condemnation of the Japanese people and the dolphin hunt is led by just 26 fisherman”
The Japanese government are fiercely protective of their culture and tradition. In relation to efforts to protect the dolphins, have resulted in the Japanese people feeling condemned by western influence, which has led to cultural imperialism.
“We will pass down the history of our ancestors to the next generation, preserve it. We have a strong sense of pride about this,” Mayor Kazutaka Sangen told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview. “So we are not going to change our plans for the town based on the criticism of foreigners.” http://www.japantoday.com/category/commentary/view/taiji-mayor-defends-dolphin-hunts
However, due to international pressure and the raised awareness of the killing of dolphins the government now issues permits so selections of fisherman are allowed by law to do so. Sixty permits are in existence in the whole of Japan and 26 are held in the village of Taiji.
Image of Dolphin meat from Taiji
I also found that the smell of dolphin meat is highly unplesant and they the taste is not favourable amoungst many.
Dolphin meat is sold and eaten in Japan and especially in the village of Taiji, however there are now concerns for the mercury levels contained in the dolphin meat that it passed on into humans. These health concerns have been raised because of Minimata disease, which is a neurological syndrome cause by severe mercury poisoning. In extreme cases, insanity, coma and death follow within weeks on the onset of symptoms. The disease was first discovered in 1956, when a highly toxic chemical bio accumulated in fish, which when consumed by people resulted in mercury poisoning. Cat, dog, pig and human deaths were recorded, with little action from the government. There have been 1,700 human deaths as a result of minimata disease. Other health concerns include; cadmium, the pesticide DDT and contaminants like PCBs. As a result of these health risks, the price of dolphin meat has fallen with the demand.
This story was in the Guardian Newspaper last year- This story was in the Guardian Newspaper last year- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/09/dolphin-meat-mercury-levels-japan
It is reported in this story that the Taiji town council Chief Katsutoshi Mihara, rejoiced as he dipped raw slices of a striped dolphin into soy sauce.
"This may seem nonchalant, but I have absolutely no concerns, and I want to be able to keep my lifestyle," he said.
This apparent lack of regard for the mercury levels in dolphin meat has to some degree changed on the broader scale of Japan. On August the 1st 2007 elected officials openly condemned the consumption of dolphin meat especially in school lunches on the grounds that it was contaminated with mercury.
Taiji City Assemblymen Junichiro Yamashita and Hisato Ryono broke ranks to condemn the consumption of ‘toxic’ dolphin meat.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fe20070801a1.html
It would appear through this research that Japan as a whole is not aware of the dolphin killing in Taiji, so we cannot presume that they support it. However, the village is know globally recognised and the target for animals rights and environmental campaigners. However, the arguement of the fisherman and villagers of Taiji is that:
- Dolphins are not special, they are viewed as big fish
- The meat is used a revenue for the village
- The killing of dolphins is part of their tradition and history
- The smell is off putting about Dolphin meat and not many like the taste
- mercury posioning has rasied health concerns
- Decreased demand of dolphin meat have reduced sale value
- The town of Taiji's economy does not rest of the income generated by the sale of Dolphin meat, however it does still continue to be sold in local supermarkets
No comments:
Post a Comment