‘The Cove”s Ric O’Barry Refuses To Participate In Dolphin Hunt Negotiations

by Michael Parrish DuDell November 3, 2010
Categories: Animals
Tags: ric o'barry.
Photo: Facebook Fan Page

An arranged meeting between marine life conservationists and representatives from a dolphin-hunting village in Taiji, Japan ended before it began on Tuesday after The Cove’s Ric O’Barry refused to participate.

O’Barry was frustrated with certain issues regarding media restrictions, including the banning of major networks and a regulation that allowed only questions preselected by a Japanese moderator from a partisan organization.

“There’s no compromise to be made. There will be no stopping of our activities until the harassment, capture and slaughter of both dolphins and whales on this planet ends,” said Sea Shepherd member Scott West who has been on site monitoring the situation.

Still, leaders from Taiji defend their right to kill dolphins and whales.

“It’s not right for you to force your values on us,” said Town Council chief Katsutoshi Mihara.

Here at Ecorazzi we are vehemently opposed to the dolphin hunt and wish Ric and his team much luck. Fingers crossed that some peaceful resolution can be made.

Sonia

I like that…”impose your values on us.” Basically what he’s saying is that their “values” consist of murdering and torturing defenseless animals to make a profit. Not that we here in the U.S. don’t do that everyday, but you get what I mean.
- ednakano
  
  >murdering and torturing defenseless animals to make a profit.
  All Livestock industries are doing it. Ric O’barry is crazy old guy and he never change things.
  - Diana
    
    You are an idiot!I didn’t know that standing up for what one believes in makes him/her crazy. The fact that livestock industries are doing it as well is such a poor argument, after all it is what a cluless person would say to appear knowledgeable and smart.
  - Josh lamb
    
    Show me a video where a farmer stabs a cow 10 times. Show me where a farmer fires a grenade, shoots, and then drowns a cow or pig. Cant find it ?
  - Kevin
    
    I don’t think Ric O’Barry is simply arguing for more humane hunting methods – are you? If so, we’re in agreement. But that’s a very different case to make than “stop all hunting”.
Kimitake Hiraoka

Why on earth are the good people of Taiji even speaking to these scumbags?

I’m not particularly passionate about the dolphin issue either way, but they shouldn’t be negotiating with anyone even remotely commected to violent eco-terrorist organisations…

How silly.

Well, at least it seems they’re finding out the hard way that there is no negotiating with these violent crooks.
- Chris H.
  
  Kimi said:
  
  “I’m not particularly passionate about the dolphin issue either way”.
  
  Is that because no one from the dolphin killers has offered to pay you to represent their point of view yet Glenn?
  
  I’m curious, what’s the minimum retainer required to secure your “services”, or does it just depend on the particular industry’s ability to pay?
Kimitake Hiraoka

P.S Michael Parrish DuDell, in the absence of “some peaceful resolution”, what other kind of resolution did you have in mind?
Mick

It has been reported that approx. 20,000 small cetaceans are killed every year in Japan. Approx. 2,000 are killed in Taiji. Even if Taiji stops killing dolphins, 18,000 will still be killed. And it would be possible that the other towns hunt quotas would be increased in order to make up the difference. Which would result in the same number of dolphins being killed anyway.
Stephanie

The torture of these creatures is, of course, terrible, but so is the torture of all the animals the U.S. slaughters daily. I am against the dolphin and whale hunt and actively follow your campaign, but then again I do not eat any other meat either. I feel to accomplish this move even further, you should protest all torture, along with the the torture of dolphins and whales. Killing a helpless dolphin should not make you feel worse than killing a helpless cow, all life is the same.
- Natalia Robba
  
  I have to agree with this statement. I vehementely oppose the torture and slaughters of these beautiful animals. However, as much as I (I’m going to use the word) hate these fisherman, I can’t help but feel they have a point when they argue that we kill billions of animals for our own consumption and how is it any different. I think what they do is despicable, but how can we stand here and pretend we don’t also inflict the same sort of cruelty on billions of other animals, is it ok just because we’ve done so for so long? They’re all still living breathing beings. It should all stop, animals do not belong to us and we do not have the right to do as we please with them.
  Sorry if this is off topic, just my 2 cents.
ednakano

Ric O’Barry just needed video but he cannot bring his favor media (Animal Plamnet). He is busy to take TV show and do not want to waste discuss for ban of dolphin hunting.
- ednakano
  
  Ric O’barry is not interest ban dolphin hunt. If it’s banned, he lose way to make money.
- Kevin
  
  I think that he’s more interested in exposure. But I agree that he’s more interested in that than in creating a compromise solution. If a group of Hindus came to the US and tried to shut down the slaughter of cattle, good luck. But, pushing it to be done more humanely could work and he’s not creating the discourse to enable that.
Natasha

It is true that the slaughter and abuse of any animal is wrong no matter what species. As said by Alice Walker “animals exist for their own reasons they were not made for human beings any more than women were made for men or black people for white” All species have the right to exist for their own purpose without being brutally abused or murdered. I am against all forms of animal abuse and if you believe that farm animals are kept and killed in human ways, especially in the USA, and that people do not use animals to make money in other countries apart from Japan you should watch the documentary Earthlings. No animals should be harmed in this way and I wish Ric O’Barry and any other animal activist the best of luck with their endevours.