IMPORT INVESTIGATED

The federal government is conducting an "investigation" into the importation of a Japanese dolphin to the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre last summer. The Pacific white-sided dolphin called Spinnaker is an "appendix 2" species under the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species, which means that the aquarium needed an export permit from Japan but not a Canadian import permit.

Gary Dick, the regional head of wildlife enforcement with Environment Canada told the Straight that his office never obtained a copy of the aquarium's CITES permit from Japan and that he has been asked to look into the situation.

"It's under investigation...to determine whether or not they did have a permit," Dick said. He refused to discuss the investigation except to say that it would take "weeks" to conclude.

Aquarium spokesperson Angela Nielsen told the Straight that the aquarium gave a package of documents, including the CITES permit, to Canada Customs when Spinnaker was brought into the country. Dick did not say if he had contacted Canada Customs.

The Vancouver park board is the aquarium's landlord, and Nielsen said that a senior administrator, Jim Lowden, has seen the CITES permit.

The Coalition For No Whales In Captivity filed an access-to-information request to Environment Canada seeking a copy of the aquarium's CITES permit. "The fact that this is under investigation denotes that the park-board staff is not able to administer a dolphin-importation bylaw," coalition director Annelise Sorg alleged to the Straight.

The CITES deputy administrator with Canadian Wildlife Service, Jean Robillard wrote an e-mail on April 8 to the access coordinator stating that he did not have a copy and that CITES permits presented to Canada Customs are normally forwarded to his office or to the regional office for "verification and compliance purposes". However, Robillard added, permits are sometimes left with custom officials.

Last year, aquarium president John Nightingale wrote a letter to the Vancouver park board stating that his nonprofit association "holds a copy of a CITES Export Permit number T-AG-01-100074 (W) issued by the Government of Japan for export of one Pacific White-Sided Dolphin".

Charlie Smith <charlie@straight.com> http://www.straight.com highlight "straight talk"