Dolphin Killing

Dolphins are one of the biggest icons when we think of the ocean and all its majesty. Yet, somehow we are seeing less and less of these breathtaking creatures. The reason for this is because there are 10,000 dolphins that are killed every year (Randazzo). At rates that high, we may be seeing a new endangered species on the list. If something is not done soon, there is going to be a big problem on our hands. Not only will the ecosystem be thrown out of balance, but we may have to witness the eradication of the dolphin population.
To start, dolphin meat is useless to humans because of the toxicity of the meat. Yet, fisherman continue to try and pawn off the poisoned meat to stores and even in mandatory lunches at schools in Taiji (The Cove). Toxicity levels increase by ten times for every level of the food chain (Mercury). Mercury is dumped into the ocean by humans either by accident of from chemical waste that we are too lazy to properly dispose of. Plankton absorb the mercury that floats to the surface of the water. Soon after, small fish eat the plankton, and then big fish eat the small fish. The dolphins then come and eat the big fish. So as you can see, mercury increases because it takes more of the smaller organism to feed the bigger organism. Now think if humans force their way into being the next level and eat dolphins. All that mercury that rose up the food chain is now being consumed by humans. “[Mercury] affects the immune system, alters genetic and enzyme systems, and damages the nervous system.” (Mercury) Mercury is already harmful at small levels, but when people are eating it in excessive amounts, or even daily if put into mandatory lunches in elementary schools in Japan, there is going to be devastating effects.
Next off, dolphins are warm blooded animals and, like humans, feel pain. Dolphins sickle their young and also have to breathe just like humans. Unfortunately, dolphins are killed in a very brutish way.
Boats herd a pod of dolphins as they make their way on their historic migratory paths. Fishermen bang loudly on submerged poles and interfere with the dolphins supersensitive sonar. To escape the sound, the dolphins flee in the opposite direction, toward the shore. The dolphins are extremely disoriented, which allows the fishermen to herd them into a small cove. Once they are inside (as many as one hundred), the workers seal the cove with two nets (Randazzo 5).
Most often than not, the dolphins are kept overnight because it takes all day to gather them into the cove. During this time, the dolphins cry out and ram into the nets in vain. The following morning, all the dolphins will be dead. Unlike cattle or normal livestock where they are electrocuted and instantaneously killed, dolphins are beaten and speared multiple times until they die from loss of blood (The Cove).
Seeing “The Cove” really got me. The dolphins were all swimming for their lives but by the time they got over the first net they were too weak to jump over the next. The next day, the fishermen all came back out and started killing the dolphins like it was a game. The fishermen joked and kicked the dolphins as they were pulled them on the boats. The dolphins tried to swim deeper in the shallow cove to avoid the spears, but the bottom of the cove is lined with sharp rocks so the dolphins were cut up even more. The water was filled with blood and it was so thick that the dolphins were frantically swimming aimlessly even landing on the shore where they would be kicked back into the water by other fishermen. One dolphin was able to escape the first net, but was too badly wounded to make it over the second net and you could see the blood trailing behind it. The lone dolphin hopped one time at the second net, then one more time, then only a bobble before it sank and never resurfaced leaving only a pool of red at the surface (The Cove).
Furthermore, dolphins are one of the smartest animals alongside with humans. According to Dr. Dianna Reiss and Lori Marino, dolphins can be compared to a seven to ten year old human child. Dolphins are also the only other animal besides humans that give each other names. Dolphins have conscious thought and know of their own existence. Unlike most animals who see another animal when looking in a mirror (Reiss). As we can see, dolphins are not just some “animal.” Dolphins know that they are alive and they know when they are getting killed. Just like a person killing a ten-year- old child, that child is aware that he or she is about to be murdered. Dolphins are some commodity like cattle, there is no need to kill them, it is genocide.
To be fair, fishermen claim that it is a long ongoing tradition to kill dolphins (Randazzo). I understand that culture means a lot in some nations, but when the rest of Japan had no idea and really frowned on the idea that the people of Taiji kill dolphins, then that worries me. It took much debate and resistance from the Taiji fishermen when “The Cove” was considered to be released in Japan, and when it finally was released it was frowned upon across the board (Cove Finally Opens). It seems suspicious to me that if there was such an established tradition, then the people of Taiji would not have put up such a fight to hide it from their own county.
To the same effect, fishermen also claim that dolphins are “pests” who eat the same fish that the fishing industry is trying to catch (Randazzo). This seems like a valid argument when, it actually does not make much sense. The fishing industry is such a lucrative business nowadays. While getting more efficient, it also is getting more and more greedy. The fishing industry cuts corners and does not enforce the fisherman from overfishing. This overfishing is the real reason for the drop in fish population, not the dolphins, but humans (The Cove). Thinking that it is the dolphins’ fault for the dropping population of fish is just a sloppy excuse to exterminate and sell dolphins.
Dolphins have been around for as long as we can remember. Their friendly smiles and playfulness has warmed the hearts of many people. It is not unheard of when dolphins save humans from jellyfish fields or from sharks and drag people back to shore. Now when they plea for their lives, it is our turn to make sure that we save them from the spears and fisherman. I urge you to use your voice. I urge you to tell someone so that more people know of the dolphins’ plight. Watch “The Cove” so that you can see how the killing is done. We can write to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and tell them to add dolphins and small cetaceans to be part of the protected animals. Alone we are but one voice, together we can start something amazing. Save a friend, save the dolphins.