Solomon Islands proposed live dolphin trade faced with tuna and tourism boycott calls

A major Pacific tuna fishing forum has been told the Solomon Islands tuna industry will face international boycotts if the government goes ahead with plans to resume live dolphin exports.

Mark Berman of the San Fransisco-based Earth Island Institute has told the Pacific Tuna Forum in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea that boycotts could also extend to the Solomons tourist industry.

The Solomons Fisheries Minister Nollen Leni has been talking up a resumption of lucrative live dolphin exports in recent weeks despite an export ban imposed in 2005.

The ban imposed by the previous government followed international condemnation of the export of 28 Solomons dolphins to an aquatic park in Mexico in 2004.

The Australian and New Zealand governments protested against the live shipment organised by Canadian Chris Porter who operates a dolphin park at Gavutu Island in the Solomons.

Source: RNZI