EARTH Island Institute (EII) has welcomed local dolphin dealer Chris Porter’s decision to release 17 dolphins currently held at Gavutu island into the wild.
But director of the institute Mark Berman said they opposed Mr Porter’s proposed national aquarium.
"The decision to release 17 dolphins back into the wild is of course good,” Mr Berman said by email from his office in the United States.
"However, the idea of a National Aquarium to permanently house wild caught dolphins for management and export later is not a good idea," he said.
Mr Berman said this is exactly what Taiji Whale Museum in Japan and the National Aquarium of Cuba are doing.
"They are a front to the live dolphin trade," he said.
Mr Porter said if the proposed National Aquarium of Solomon Islands is dolphin free on a permanent basis then his institute has no problem with this.
"It would be a feel good story for the 17 dolphins to be released and positive publicity for the Solomon Islands, but this would mean a total end to the trade in live dolphins for the country," he said.
Mr Berman further stated: "If Mr Porter indeed states he is releasing these dolphins and will end all captures and export of dolphins on a permanent basis, then we will congratulate him.
"If this is only a temporary method to allow time to build such an aquarium that will be a dolphin dealing facility, then this aspect is not supported by Earth Island.
"We are interested to see the next steps," the director said.
He reiterated that there can be no dolphin safe approved tuna cannery in Guadalcanal as long as there is any dolphin captures, dolphin pens, and exports from the province
"After viewing photos of the pens with dolphins near the Heritage Hotel, I can only state that this is deplorable and unacceptable regardless of who owns the pens.
"Earth Island is stating, tear down those pens and allow all the dolphins their freedom in addition to the 17 at Gavutu," he said.
By MOFFAT MAMU
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