Protest At Japanese Consulate In SF.

The killing of dolphins in drive fisheries is not actually a tradition. The Japanese government claims this, but the practice has actually only been going on for a few decades. “This claim of ‘Japanese tradition’ is nonsense,” stated Ric O’Barry, Director of Earth Island’s Dolphin Project. “The dolphin drive hunts, according to the town’s own written history, says a couple of drive hunts occurred in 1936 and 1944, but the current series of hunts only began in 1969.”

Thanks for the coverage of our Sea Sheperd World Love For Dolphins demo. Just a correction, please... The Drive Hunts started in 1969, so they are not a cultural tradition. They are a way of making $1.24 million a year for the Japan Fishery Union by selling captured dolphins and pilot whales to the captive entertainment industry. What they make from dolphin meat is minimal, as many Japanese people do not eat dolphin meat due to the high mercury content.