Dolphinization?

Not looking good - click for detail. Animation here.

Poor Fiji!
As per the map, we're currently between tropical depressions, and the effects of the first one have been devastating. And, it ain't over by any stretch of the imagination as the next depression may well develop into a cyclone and undoubtedly once again dump a lot more water on the already waterlogged soil in the West and in the North.
As expected, so far, we're OK - fingers crossed!

But it's bucketing down, I'm bored and cranky, so there.
A friend has sent me the link to this video, and I cite (sic) from the description.

After pouring healing Reiki energy into the appalling "fish tank" the dolphins are in The more lively of the two began to play with me. I did what I would do if I were swimming with them in the wild and played. Low and behold the dolphin who is normally lethagic and depressed suddenly joined us! This tells me she is able to be saved, if we can act now and get these beautiful dolphins better living conditions. Go to SaveJapanDolphins.org and find contacts to write to . For the Dolphins



And here's another one.
The lady is Kerry O'Brien, a Dolphin conservation activist who is part of the Taji Action Group and of Dr. Ingrid N. Visser's Whale Rescue etc.



Did you like that?

Personally, I find it creepy.
Having lived in Vava'u, Tonga, one of the Humpback viewing hotspots, I've witnessed plenty of this unholy alliance of activism and New Age, and the people who shamelessly exploit it to hawk their particular brand of quackery. I'm also appalled by all the vociferating and the energy squandered on "saving" non-endangered Cetaceans in Taji and now, the Faroe Islands whilst at the same time, the endangered Hector's/Maui, Snubfin, Vaquita and several river Dolphins are quietly being exterminated. Is that conservation?
And, maybe Kerry should not travel to Japan but do some positive visualization in her native New Zealand first?

This is why I'm alarmed by this petition by Sea Shepherd.
Irrespective of its content that shall be analyzed in a future post, it features the usual Sea Shepherd sycophants, but it also features organizations for whom I have a lot of respect.
And there's this endorsement.

"You can't save the dolphins without saving their environment, and you can't save that without saving the sharks!" - Ric O'Barry

Scary stuff.
I say, thanks but no thanks.
I for one want nothing to do with the dolphinization of the Shark conservation movement, and the media fog factory of pulled from the arse conservation misquotes of those bullshit machines.

Friends.
Too late now - but next time, look at who you're associating yourselves before lending your name and support. It elevates them but alas, it ultimately demeans you.
If it's such a worthwhile cause, maybe do your own thing and thus spread the message even further?
You know who you are - think about it, please.

The Huffington Post - Correct but also, totally Wrong!

Squalus suckleyi, North Pacific Spiny Dogfish. Photo by Andy Murch (elasmodiver.com).

From the article.

Even if one doesn't like the taste or idea of shark fin soup, what is at stake is the individual's right to choose what to eat within the confines of the law, regardless of whether its production is offensive to some campaigners, celebrities or politicians.

The attempt to prohibit shark finning is an example of our illiberal times, where private activities such as eating are fair game for criticism and moral posturing.
It's an easy target for organisations such as PETA who have lost the public argument over the use of animals for other ends such as medical research and are looking for cheap victories elsewhere. It also reflects the difficulty we have in understanding where our food comes from and our estrangement from its production. Finning may be uncomfortable to watch but how easy would it be for most of us to watch what happens in an ordinary abattoir?

I say, not so fast, Mister!
This article has been obviously spawned by the shenanigans of those idiots over at PETA in particular and in general, by the dumbing down of Shark Conservation whereby some quarters have chosen to frame the narrative as an issue of cultural preferences.

It is of course not.
From a conservation standpoint, everybody, and that very much includes the Asian consumers of Shark fin soup and of Whales, is more than welcome to eat whatever they please - provided that what they eat is being harvested sustainably and produced and dispatched ethically!
Nothing whatsoever to do with individual rights and personal taste!

Finning is of course an ethical abomination that needs to be stopped.
But other than that, and I am of course repeating myself: when advocating Conservation, we need to always be pragmatic, fact based, solution oriented and willing to compromise. That also implies accepting that people fish for Sharks provided that it is done sustainably.

Still not at all convinced about the latter.
But, there is now the certification of the fishery for the recently described North Pacific, or Spotted Spiny Dogfish by the MSC . Everybody I'm sure will be watching - but should this really prove to be fully sustainable, I fully expect those fins to eventually turn up in California (hear hear!) following the recommendation of the Ocean Protection Council (scroll to bottom of link)!
And guess what: that's perfectly OK, the more as in Spiny Dogfish, the whole animal is utilized as the meat is much sought after and exported to Europe.

Long story short: we need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot.
Please!