Dolphin Again : Drive Fishing Ban Lifted in Taiji, Japan

Dolphin drive fishing ban was lifted as of September 1 and the season lasts till the end of April next year. Fishing is sanctioned only to the licensed fishermen, who are permitted to catch up to 1,900 heads by the close of the season. 

The town of Taiji in Wakayama has a 400-year history of whaling and started fishing dolphin in the end of Meiji Era (1868 -1912). Dolphins are said to detest certain metallic sounds and fishermen would drum them into the water to drive dolphins into the net inside the bay. Most of the dolphins would be marketed as food and those caught alive sold to aquariums or facilities.

Fishing was postponed due to bad weather on the first day. Members of foreign anti-whaling organizations came to the site. The Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) had earlier banned purchases of dolphins caught by drive fishing and it was feared that obstructive activities might gain momentum, but no visible confusion was observed on the site.

Back in May this year, upon warning from international organizations JAZA decided to ban its members to purchase dolphins caught in Taiji and all complied but one whale museum in Taiji. Non-members of JAZA, 20 or so, are nonetheless making purchases.

Though fishing was postponed, some 20 members of the anti-whaling group "Sea Shepherd" flocked at 5 a.m. in the morning in and around the port, taking pictures of the fishing boats to use for dolphin fishing, sceneries of the inlet, and hoisting banners aloft calling for fishing ban.

Councillor Yoshifumi Kai of the Taiji Fishermen's Cooperative commented: "On the first day of fishing, the situation was quite calm as members of the anti-whaling organizations were fewer than expected. Regardless of protest movement, we'll calmly get to work".