The team at Advocating Wild, in collaboration with the World Cetacean Alliance Partnership, wrote to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Executive Office regarding disturbing news currently circulating, that the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) members may be exploiting a loophole which once again may enable its facilities to purchase dolphins captured from Taiji and Futo.
Brought to our attention by Japanese NFP organisations, we learned that JAZA members may now be holding dual or even multiple memberships with associations through which they may be able to obtain wild caught dolphins from the horrendously cruel and gruelling drive hunts.
In 2015 the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums banned its members from purchasing dolphins captured in drive hunts. Following that announcement several aquariums in Japan decided to leave JAZA so that hey could continue acquiring dolphins taken from these fisheries, this included the infamous Taiji Whale Museum.
Last week we were informed that aquariums that stayed in JAZA may now be side stepping the ban and acquiring Taiji dolphins through a newly formed organization called the Japan Aquarium Association (JAA).
Today we received a letter from Mr Martin Zordan, Chief Executive Officer at WAZA in which he states, "We have very recently contacted our member, the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) regarding this matter. They have shared that there is no conflict for an institution to be a member of both JAZA and the Japan Aquarium Association (JAA), as long as the institution does not engage in the capture of dolphins by drive fisheries, so the double membership is therefore possible. JAZA remains committed to prohibiting its members from capturing dolphins by drive fisheries."
Whilst we are somewhat reassured by Mr Zordan's response, the team at Advocating Wild and the WCA will monitor this situation and continue to liaise with contacts in Japan who have also been lobbying JAZA directly.
To learn more about Taiji Drive Hunts visit Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project
Watch the Academy Award Winning 'The Cove'.*
Watch Martyn Stewarts From 'Dawn to Death'.
* Since filming the Cove a number of practices involved in the Drive Hunting process have changed. For example, the killing method has altered, an increased number of species are now hunted etc, for further information please refer to Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project.