Izumi Ishii was once a fisherman in Futo, Japan, a small coastal village on the Izu Peninsula, whose temperate climate and scenic views have attracted vacationers for years. Ishii-san ("Mr. Ishii") came to his profession through family: His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all hunted dolphins in "drive fisheries," a process by which they herd the animals to shore and promptly kill them.
This was Ishii-san's livelihood for nearly 30 years. He was even an outspoken advocate of drive fisheries. Then one day, something clicked inside him. He had a dramatic change of heart.
"I heard the sound of the dolphins crying as they were killed," Ishii-san says. "I could not bear it."
More than that, he could not kill dolphins any longer. He has switched professions. He now leads a dolphin-watching group. "I have been moved by the sight of pods of dolphins and sometimes forgot my job as a hunter even when I was hunting them," he says. "I would like to convey my exciting feelings to people through dolphin watching."
"The value I now see in dolphins is not the value of their meat, but of the wonder they incite in us." When he says "value," Ishii-san means both a higher value and a monetary one. He believes he can make more money from dolphin watching than hunting, a belief he would like to share with others in the area.
"The most important thing is that I succeed in the dolphin watching business," he says. "If I can succeed in it, other fishermen in Futo will follow me."
If he's successful, he may do more than change the livelihoods of Futo fishermen. He may change an entire way of life.
Drive Fisheries
For decades, fishermen in Japan, Denmark's Faroe Islands, and a few other areas have hunted small whales, dolphins, and porpoises in drive fisheries. From small boats, the fishermen herd tens and even hundreds of bottlenose dolphins, Risso's dolphins, and false killer whales toward shore, using the combined clamor of underwater engine noise and the sound of pipes being banged under the surface of the water to frighten the animals toward land. Once the animals reach shallow water, the fishermen wade through the stranded pods, stabbing the animals to death.
Fishermen conduct drive fisheries for meat (which is sometimes fraudulently sold as meat from minke, Bryde's, and sei whales—species killed by the Japanese during "scientific whaling" expeditions—to supply Japanese whale-meat markets) and as a form of predator control, because they consider the cetaceans competition for fish.
At one time, thousands of dolphins were slaughtered each year in Japanese drive fisheries. In the early 1980s, graphic footage taken by U.S. videographer Hardy Jones was aired around the world, sparking international outrage and nearly shutting down drive fisheries. But marine parks inspired a comeback by expressing interest in buying live animals from the drives.
In 1999, more of Jones' video footage hit the international media—this time capturing the slaughter of a pod of 70 dolphins in Futo. The public cried out anew, and tougher regulations were placed on dolphin hunting. Drive fisheries have become less profitable, but they are still carried out in some port towns.
Ishii-san's first dolphin-watching trip is more than just the start of another business venture. It could be the beginning of a new economy for Futo fishermen, whose professional quickchange could offer instant protections for dolphins and other small cetaceans who live off Futo, in Sagamy Bay. That promise is the reason why so many are endorsing Ishii-san's efforts, including The HSUS.
The nonprofit Oceanic Society, in cooperation with BlueVoice.org (co-founded by actor Ted Danson and Hardy Jones), has organized this first trip to support and encourage Ishii-san to replace the dolphin drive fishery in his village with dolphin watching. You can take part in his historic effort by joining the trip, which will take place September 21–29, 2002. The cost is $2,080.
Futo is located along the magnificent coastline of the Izu Peninsula, within view of Mt. Fuji. In the company of a naturalist and local interpreter, participants will take part in natural-history activities, including half-day whale-, seabird-, and dolphin-watching trips aboard Ishii-san's 58-foot fishing vessel. From the boat, participants can expect to see bottlenose, Pacific white-sided, striped, and spotted dolphins as well as pilot whales and sea birds such as murrelets, black-headed gulls, and short-tailed shearwaters.
In the afternoons, participants will hike nearby nature trails, taking them along the coast to Jogasaki and Komuroyama Park, which was formed by a now-dormant volcano. As guests of Ishii-san, participants will also be introduced to Japanese culture, meeting with community members and visiting historic sites. Accommodations will be in a comfortable village inn operated by a Japanese family, who will prepare local cuisine.
For detailed information or to request a brochure, please contact Ashley Dean of the Oceanic Society at 800-326-7491 or request a brochure by sending an e-mail to office@oceanicsociety.org.
Attend the annual Dolphin Day of Action!
