The ongoing capture of wild small cetaceans in the Black and the
Mediterranean seas endangers populations, and capture operations both destroy and disturbs wild
populations (the Ukraine is still capturing bottlenose dolphins from the wild)
The ongoing export of captive small cetacean risks the life of the animals and has NO positive
outcome for the survival of the wild populations (look at the
overview of the exportation of dolphins from the Ukraine to foreign facilities
since 1992). The dolphinarium industry has until today always tried to prevent any
attempts to reintroduce captive dolphins back to the wild.
The breeding of bottlenose dolphins within European facilities is NOT successful (if the
definition of "successful" is self-sustainable). EU facility breeding
rates prove this without any doubt.
In time there is NOT ONE bottlenose dolphin bred in the 2nd captive
generation. That's the result of keeping these animals in captivity for more than 30 years
now.
Dolphinariums are commercial institutions. All cetaceans are listed in Appendix C1 within the
European Union CITES regulations which prohibits the trade.
Effective and successful measurable steps to protect small cetaceans within the Black and
Mediterranean seas can only be taken on-site (e.g. investigations in the ecological situation of
both seas, reasons for decreasing populations, development of measurable steps to protect
these species in the wild and also their habitat etc.)
DEMANDS
We strongly demand that the European Union SUPPORT the development of measurable
steps to guarantee the survival of small cetaceans within the Mediterranean and Black seas and to
protect their habitat
We DEMAND the EU stop any further removal of wild small cetaceans from the Mediterranean
and Black seas
We DEMAND the prohibition of any importation of live small cetaceans from the Ukraine
or Russia to the European Union or any other country.
We suggest that a scientific project be set up to develop scientific procedures for the rehabilitation
and release of currently captive cetacea back into the Black and Mediterranean seas.