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nwID=745

Saturday, cto!er "#, $%%7 &:4& '(
30 dolphins are bound for Dubai
It has been revealed that the Solomon Islands will once again
engage in the controversial dolphin trade.
)ncon*irmed reports ha+e stated that at least #% li+e dolphins will !e exported
to the (iddle ,ast as early as next wee-.
.he exportation o* these dolphins comes *our years a*ter the last o* such
shipment to (exico caused international outra/e. .he then 0ema-e1a /o+ernment
slapped a !an on the export o* dolphins and sou/ht to cancel the license o* the
company that en/a/ed in the trade.
.he dolphin trade pic-ed up a/ain when the current So/a+are /o+ernment /a+e the
trade its !lessin/. It is expected that a hi/h2le+el dele/ation will !e in Du!ai
to mar- the arri+al o* the dolphins next wee-.
.he Solomon Islands (arine (ammal ,ducation 3entre and ,xporters 4imited said on
5riday that the dolphins would !e collected *rom the company6s pens on the
island o* 7a+utu and *lown to Du!ai in the )nited 'ra! ,mirates.
3ompany director, 8o!ert Satu, was 9uoted in the I4 we!site as sayin/ that :the
dolphins will !e *lown on two D32"%s that are scheduled to arri+e on .uesday.:
Satu also re+ealed that the company has hired a Du!ai *irm to pro+ide extra
security *or the animals6 arri+al, in a !id to deter conser+ationists *rom
sta/in/ any protests or tryin/ to !loc- the shipments.
Although Satu refused to say how much the sale was worth, he said both his
company and the government would reap massive rewards. "Its big ! bigger than
gold or logging," said Satu.
Several international conservation groups, including the San "rancisco!based
#arth Islands Institute, have continuously urged the government in $oniara to
stop the resumption of the live dolphin trade.
4ocal en+ironmentalist, 4awrence (a-ili, said that the /o+ernment should expect
some :serious repercussions spearheaded !y international en+ironmental /roups:.
(a-ili also said that the trade may a**ect the tourism industry which would !e
+ery un*ortunate :/i+en the *act that it is still re2!uildin/ its ima/e a!road:.
Such threats o* international sanctions has not deterred Satu as he is adamant
that the dolphin trade could help promote economic de+elopment, with local
communities esta!lishin/ their own dolphin *arms.
:;e6+e already created the mar-et 2 they could <ust *ollow,: he said.
3ate/ory: ,conomy
.opic: ,n+ironmental Issues
http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=745