DOLPHIN HUNTING IN JAPAN

Early day motion 1004, tabled 27 January 2014 by Nick Harvey (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 84 members.

That this House condemns the recent slaughter of over 40 wild dolphins in Taiji, on Japan's Pacific coast; notes with concern the capture of a further 52 dolphins for sale to aquariums and other customers including a rare albino dolphin calf, separated from its mother and now kept in captivity in Taiji Whale Museum; further notes with alarm the Japanese government's continued support for the practice by issuing quotas for the killing of over 20,000 dolphins, whales and porpoises in its coastal waters every year, despite the International Whaling Commission's moratorium on commercial whaling; deplores the inhumane slaughtering method of severing the dolphin's spinal cord with a metal spike; is further concerned that the practice of dolphin hunting may be driving some populations to extinction; is alarmed by the high levels of mercury and other toxins found in dolphin, whale and propoise food products, with reports suggesting dolphin meat is up to 5,000 times more toxic than levels allowed by the World Health Organisation; welcomes the statements made by the US Ambassador to Japan and the British Ambassador to Japan, Timothy Hitchens, opposing all forms of dolphin and porpoise drives; calls on the Taiji Whale Museum to release the albino dolphin calf from captivity; and calls on the Government to continue to raise the issue with the Japanese government at the highest level.

Signatures by party: Labour 36, Liberal Democrat 23, Conservative 13, DUP 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Alliance 1, Green 1, Independent 1, Respect 1.