The proposal: To transfer the Black Sea population of
the bottlenose dolphin (
Tursiops truncatus ponticus)
from Appendix II to Appendix I. (Submitted by Georgia.)
HSUS Position: Support
The worldwide demand for bottlenose dolphins for the captive
display industry is high, and the Black Sea population meets a
significant proportion of this demand. The number caught for
export to aquaria almost doubled between 1995 and 1998.
Mortality of Black Sea bottlenose dolphins during capture,
transport and captivity is high.
In the Black Sea, (which borders Turkey, Georgia, Russia,
Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, and Bulgaria), bottlenose dolphins
are losing their habitat. The habitat that remains has been
damaged by extensive pollution, coastal development, vessel
traffic, and over-fishing.
Furthermore, the population has never rebounded from the
massive hunting of the early 20th century. Commercial dolphin
hunting has only been banned since 1966 by the former Soviet
Union, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Romania, and since 1983 by
Turkey. Poaching reportedly continues.
In agreement with several international organizations,
Georgia has proposed to list this population in Appendix I (all
populations of bottlenose dolphins are already in Appendix II),
so that it may be protected from international trade. The last
time Georgia proposed to up-list the Black Sea bottlenose
dolphin, opponents argued against a "split-listing" (having one
population on Appendix I and the other populations on Appendix
II). However, a ban on trade in animals from this population
would not be difficult to enforce because the Black Sea
bottlenose dolphin is both geographically and genetically
distinct from other bottlenose dolphins, even those in the
nearby Mediterranean and East North Atlantic.
