Copyright 2003 Agence France Presse
Agence France Presse
August 13, 2003 Wednesday 2:06 AM Eastern Time

SECTION: International News
LENGTH: 321 words
DATELINE: CANBERRA, Aug 13

HEADLINE: Australia steps up pressure for release of Solomon Islands dolphins

BODY:
Australia's Environment Minister David Kemp called on the Solomon Islands government Wednesday to release 170 dolphins held captive in a Honiara holding pen after being snatched from the ocean last month.

Local fishermen sold 28 of the dolphins to a Mexican amusement park and the others are being held in a shallow pen in the Solomon Islands.

Animal activists have reported the dolphins are lying motionless in shallow water and receiving only one feed a day. Some have blisters on their backs from the hot sun and have been injured as they scramble to eat the food given to them.

Australia, which is spearheading a regional peacekeeping force in the Solomons, has taken the issue up with Honiara and discovered that there are no other countries which have issued permits for the import of dolphins.

Kemp said he had spoken with the Solomons fisheries minister and the government expressing concern about the welfare of the dolphins.

He said now it seemed there were no more plans to export any more dolphins, they should be set free.

"So the dolphins are simply being held there in pens in the Solomons," Kemp said.

"It seems that these pens are grouping the dolphins in very overcrowded conditions. That water is shallow. There are concerns over the health of these dolphins."

He said if there was no intention to export the dolphins in compliance with international conventions, the obvious action for the Solomon Islands was to release them.

Kemp tried to stop the trade between the Solomons and Mexico but it proceeded legally under an international conservation convention which stipulates the dolphins must be treated humanely and cared for properly.

"It's very important for us to note that there are probably some 170 dolphins still being held captive in the Solomons," said Kemp, who has spoken personally to the fisheries minister for the Solomons.

Copyright 2003 AAP Information Services Pty. Ltd.
AAP NEWSFEED