The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Meteorology, Rence Sore, said Earth Islands Institute also disappointingly fails to recognize that dolphin has economical and cultural values to the traditional and contemporary Solomon Islands society.
“Our ancestors lived with dolphins, we are living with dolphins and our grandchildren will continue to live with dolphins.
“Dolphins are integral to the socio-economic and socio-cultural aspects of livelihood in Solomon Islands.
“The claim of ‘defying logic and international law’ with regards to dolphin capture is absurd. It is unbelievably true that Earth Islands Institute has made poor judgments in distancing logic from common-sense,” he said in a press statement
Sore said Solomon Islands CITES Management Authority lies within the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Meteorology.
He said the MECM in respect of its conservation function is also a CITES Scientific Authority. Other CITES Scientific Authorities are the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and the Ministry of Forestry and Reforestation.
Solomon Islands quota for dolphin export was originally set at 100 dolphins per year. Over a one and half year period, this quota has been closely monitored and evaluated by the CITES Management Authority, said the permanent secretary.
“Solomon Islands recognize that the decision to set a cautious quota for dolphin export is a sovereign decision of the democratic state of Solomon Islands.
“Solomon Islands also recognizes the so-called ‘good concerns’ of the CITES Animals Committee on the capture and export of live dolphins from Solomon Islands.
“Solomon Islands understands that at the 24th Meeting of the CITES Animals Committee in Geneva, Switzerland, from 20-24 April 2009 – Review of Tursiops Aduncas Trade in Solomon Islands was discussed.
“Solomon Islands also understands that the outcomes of the discussions on Review of Tursiops Aduncas Trade in Solomon Islands was never formally conveyed by the CITES Animals Committee Secretariat to the CITES Management Authority in Solomon Islands.
“However, having recognized and understood the concerns of stakeholders and having acknowledged the sovereign right of the country to decide on a cautious quota – the CITES Management Authority is recommending to Cabinet a reduction in quota of 50 dolphins per year,” said Sore.
He said the quota of 50 dolphins per year will be further monitored and evaluated and at the same time population survey undertaken to establish the Non-Detrimental Findings on dolphins.
