Government wants dolphinarium again

[Arubalisa]

"Government wants dolphinarium again
http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/artikel_71798.php
27 Apr, 2010, 09:53 (GMT -04:00)


Dolphins in Aruban waters. The scientific research into these sea mammals will begin this year.

ORANJESTAD — The government has plans to start a dolphinarium again on Aruba. Premier Mike Eman (AVP) and the Minister of Infrastructure, Environment and Integration, Benny Sevinger (AVP) have discussed this with three environmental organizations who oppose such.

This conversation was held a few weeks ago. Angiolina Henriquez of Aruba Marine Mammal Foundation (AMFF), Edith van de Wal of Tortugaruba, and Ramsy Acosta of Fundacion Arubano pa Naturalez y Parke (Fanape) had been present during this conversation. According to Van de Wal, it appeared during that conversation that the government is considering a dolphinarium – just like three years ago.

The nature-representatives had substantiated why the dolphinarium was not a good idea. “We had suggested that a rehabilitation center would be better – if one insisted setting-up something similar. That way, with the lapse of time, ill dolphins would be given the chance to return to the wild”, says Van de Wal. According to Henriquez, during the conversation Eman had promised he would only grant a permit for such a rehabilitation centre. Nevertheless, she is still not convinced the government will abandon their plans for a dolphinarium. A reaction from the government was not available this morning.

There had also been plans for a dolphinarium three years ago. In October 2007, Amigoe had published an article along with several contributed letters on dolphin breeding at De Palm Island. One of those contributed letters had been from Richard O’Barry, the trainer of the dolphins used for the TV-series Flipper. He is a fierce opponent of dolphinariums and at the time had urgently appealed to ‘decision makers’ on Aruba not to continue with the plans for a dolphinarium. At that time, he had also been leading a film crew in Japan who were secretly shooting a film of dolphins being killed. This documentary, The Cove, had won an Oscar last year.

The director of De Palm Tours, Richardo Malmberg, stated he is not aware of the current plans for a dolphinarium, “Nor has the government invited us to discuss such”. Malmberg states that his company currently does not have any plans regarding dolphins either.

Scientific research
AMFF find the plans for a dolphinarium shocking. By making these plans public, Henriquez hopes people on Aruba will realize the government does not bear a warm heart towards the nature on Aruba. Simultaneously, AMFF wants to prove scientifically why dolphins belong in the wild and not in a dolphinarium.

A lecture had been conducted in Hadicurari last Saturday evening, which researcher Jolanda Luksenburg had also attended. She is a biologist and will be doing a research for AMFF on sea mammals as well as dolphins. This is the first time that such a scientific research is being carried out. Luksenburg had arrived on Aruba nearly two months ago. She thinks Aruba is a unique location. “The wild dolphins swim so close to the coast – even close to the water sportspeople. That offers many opportunities to study them up close. I will literally head for the sea in a boat, hoping to see dolphins often so that I can collect much data.” With her research, Luksenburg can count on cooperation with the Aruba University (UA).

After the presentations from Henriquez and Luksenburg, the audience had seen the documentary The Cove, where a group of animal activists is followed, showing how dolphins are caught in Japan for dolphinariums. However, the largest part, approx. 20,000 dolphins per year, is not fit for dolphinariums, and is killed for consumption. The film crew had used hidden cameras and microphones because Japan did not want the images published. The documentary had won an Oscar in 2009."

[Andrea J.]

oh no
the dolphins need to be free.
but, as we all know, these money making attractions are very very attractive to tourism.

i hope that if it comes to be, that it is done with much respect to the wildlife and focuses on education and rehabilitation of injured dolphins.

**** disclosure, last year we were given a gift certificate for our 25th anniversary to discovery cove near seaworld. we did the WHOLE THING and i am ashamed to admit, but I had the BEST time of my life as did paul.
our 26th anniversary is today and guess what came in yesterday's mail????
another gift certificate for discovery cove.

[Arubalisa]

For sure a very black and white issue.
Tourists do look for dolphin encounters.
For cruise ship passengers going on to Curacao it is not an issue, but for land vacations to Aruba...

I guess one of the questions is would it be a "money making" venture or a true scientific resource.

The director of De Palm Tours, Richardo Malmberg, stated he is not aware of the current plans for a dolphinarium, “Nor has the government invited us to discuss such”. Malmberg states that his company currently does not have any plans regarding dolphins either.

[TomFrederick]

>>> "these money making attractions are very very attractive to tourism"
---- But it will take a lot of up front $,$$$,$$$ before it gets started to make money. Hope not. There are a few good places in the States you could go for that.

[lizzardo]

There was just a talk on Dolphins on the island last Saturday night.

Let's look back into other 'proposed dolphin facilities'. DePalm backed off on this later.
March 1 2008:
Aruba still considering dolphin facility
Despite worldwide opposition, De Palm Holdings have not abandoned their plans to build a dolphinarium on De Palm Island off Aruba coast.The decision on whether they can proceed with their plans has not yet been made however and ... See ... See MoreMoreMinister of Environment, Public Health, and Immigration Affairs, Candelario ‘Booshi‘ Wever, has commissioned the Flora and Fauna committee to advise him on this matter. Wever stated “It is not in my hands, even though it is us, as council of ministers that has to make a decision next”. According to reports, Mr Wever does not think that a dolphinarium as tourist attraction is a bad idea; “But you have to be careful with these kinds of activities that are worldwide criticized and if something goes wrong, the activity can have a contrary effect on your tourism.”... See MoreThe corporate name of the dolphinarium will be "Aruba Marine Awareness Center NV" and the two managing directors will be Laetitia Lindgren and George Kieffer who are shareholders and directors of Dolphin Academy in Curacao, a facility that has recently been under investigation due to recent incidents involving both visitors and trainers.Take ActionAruba is a perfect getaway island located in the Caribbean, blessed with some of the most spectacular beauty and diverse marine life and a haven for divers. Dolphin sea pens are a significant source of nutrient pollution and can cause ecological damage to coral re Please email Minister Wever advising him that destruction of marine environment would have a huge impact on numbers of future visitors and tourism in general in the country.

[Love Aruba]

Happy anniversary Andrea and Paul!!!!!!!!!!! 26 years--that is great! Have a happy day!
Pat


our 26th anniversary is today and guess what came in yesterday's mail????
another gift certificate for discovery cove.[/QUOTE]

[Andrea J.]

thanks pat!!!

[Kingpin]

All I want to say is, watch the movie the cove.

http://www.thecovemovie.com/

[lizzardo]

Here is the information of the people who spoke about dolphins
this weekend:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=115258165163901&ref=mf


They showed The Cove after their talk.

[sunnysmiles]

As neat as it is to watch Dolphins, I'd rather go out in their natural habitat to see them.
I've been whale watching a couple times and it's a much more thrilling experience than watching them at SeaWorld!