Thirty-three environmental groups from around the world have signed
a letter to the Japanese prime minister Toshiki Kaifu urging Japan to halkt
the killing of two endangered species of dolphin.
In Tokyo last week, Dave Currey, head of the London-based Environmental
Investigation Agency, said that more than 20 000 Dall鈥檚 porpoises were caught
last year off the coast of Japan, despite the International Whaling Commission鈥檚
recommendation that the number should not exceed 10 000.
The Environmental Investigation Agency is also worried about the future
of the less common striped dolphin, which has become scarce after decades
of overexploitation.
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Both species are killed for their meat to replace whale meat, which
is scarce following an IWC ban on commercial whaling in 1988.