dolphins #6 (That's all folks!)
Clemencia Rodner (crodner@conicit.ve)
Thu, 16 Jun 1994 06:26:51 -0400 (AST)
REPORT OF THE LA SALLE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE ON THE PROBLEM
OF DOLPHINS IN VENEZUELA (Extracts)
A. INTRODUCTION
The La Salle Society of Natural Sciences is an organization of
more than 50 years of activities in the field of science in
Venezuela and a well-earned recognition for its work in promoting
natural sciences.During all these years the Society could not
ignore the mammals found in the waters of Venezuela. As is
known, whales and dolphins occur along the coasts of the country,
fresh-water dolphins, manatees and otters are found in the
continental waters. As a consequence numerous references to
these animals have appeared in publications of the Society. When
the problem of the dolphins of Venezuela arose, the Society
encouraged its members to study the different statements, convoke
a forum and develop a report expounding its position as a
scientific society on the subject. (...)
The Preoccupation with Dolphins. In the decade of the 70s there
developed a great concern for
dolphins in various countries, especially the United States due
to the reports of indiscriminate captures of large numbers of
these animals in areas of the eastern Pacific by the tuna
fleet.(...)
In 1988 the United States declared a tuna embargo on various
countries including Venezuela due to the denunciations of
excessive captures of dolphins by tuna fleets. This embargo
was renewed in 1991 and 1992 even prohibiting the
re-exportation of Venezuelan tuna to the United States. (...)
But the real crisis over the dolphins developed in 1993 when
Romero and Agudo presented scenes of a savage killing of a
dolphin by Venezuelan fishermen on world-wide television.
According to them this signified that annually various thousands
of dolphins were assassinated in Venezuelan waters. (...)
C. CONCLUSIONS OF THE LA SALLE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES WITH
REGARD TO THE PROBLEM OF THE DOLPHINS (...)
1.1 Impartial report on Bioma - Fundacetacea. It is the
conclusion of the La Salle Society of Natural
Sciences that for diverse personal, professional, economic and
other reasons impossible to define, the Directors of Bioma and
Fundacetacea, Messrs. Aldemaro Romero Diaz and Ignacio
Agudo, have lost the necessary objectivity in their
expositions regarding the conservation of dolphins. Their
positions have been radical, personalized and in many cases
without scientific basis, which, to our belief, have caused
them to lose the possibility of acting with equanimity and with
the necessary scientific precision on the subject which
Bioma should maintain (and we suppose Fundacetacea, although we
do not know the details of this organization) (...)
1.2 Embargo of the Venezuelan Tuna Fleet. In the opinion of
this Society the solution of the possible
excessive fishing of dolphins which occurred in the past in the
eastern Pacific, does not eliminate the Venezuelan fleet from
certain markets. No reason exists to pretend that the
Venezuelan fleet cannot maintain, under controls, a minimum
regime of dolphin captures. On the other hand, it is clear
that neither the Ministry of Agriculture nor any Venezuelan
governmental office, nor the La Salle Society of Natural
Sciences would permit complicity or incorrect policies in this
material. To assume that we are all involved in a "plot
against the dolphins" seems to us to be irrational. (...)
2. Massacre of Dolphins in Venezuelan Waters.
2.-1. Figures on the killing of Dolphins. Having reviewed the
methodology utilized by Aldemro Romero Diaz and Ignacio Agudo for
declaring that in Venezuela a massacre of dolphins occurs.."on a
large scale," the La Salle Society of Natural Sciences concludes
that there exists no basis for such an assertion. In fact, it is
perceived that all the figures have been inflated in an
exaggerated manner by Aldemaro Romero and Ignacio Agudo through
suppositions with no basis, in order to reach the figures
presented in their denunciations.
2.-2. Unethical Video. Upon reviewing the film that caused the
international scandal over the massacre of dolphins in Venezuela,
including the original version prior to the changes for the
versions on world-wide television, the La Salle Society of
Natural Sciences concludes that the video is at variance with the
ethical principles that all scientists and ecologists should
adhere to and that it should not have received the backing of an
organization with the objectives of Bioma and the importance of
its members. Evidently the film was made with an aim to
present a patent example of how in Venezuela dolphins are
sacrificed, with no misgivings and on a large scale. The
fishermen, who were contracted and directed were only actors
in a movie production directed by Aldemaro Romero and Ignacio
Agudo as per both the statements of the fishermen and
expressions that can be heard in the original version. We
cannot justify the means used on the basis that the individuals
believed they pursued a praiseworthy end. Further, in our
opinion, the end was not praiseworthy. It is unfortunate that the
La Salle Society of Natural Sciences should come to this
conclusion considering that in other instances Messrs.
Romero and Agudo and Bioma have carried out works in pro of
science and the environment. Nevertheless, on this occasion they
committed evident excesses and abuses in their desire to
demonstrate that their statements regarding the massacre of
dolphins in Venezuela were true. What they did with the film
is comparable to "planting evidence." These excesses carried
to the level of international disclosure have been
imprudent and unjust to a country, its people, the fishing
industry and sciences. The only excuse we can find to mitigate
the guilt of Messrs. Romero and Agudo is that they never imagined
the magnitude of damage which would arise. (...)
D. RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The Necessity of a Public Clarification. We recommend that
among the actions required of Messrs. Aldemaro Romero and Ignacio
Agudo, they be demanded to give an appropriate rectification
regarding the video. They should officially declare how it was
conceived, the fishermen contracted and directed to act in the
film and how Messrs. Romero and Agudo could have impeded the
killing of the dolphin, which they did not do in their desire to
dramatize what they believed was occurring to the dolphins in
this country. They should request pardon for having caused a
serious questioning of the fishermen that transcended these and
has even reached persons and economic areas in Venezuela that
have nothing to do with tuna or dolphins.
2. To Continue campaigns for Education and Controls. Request
that MAC establish the necessary educational campaigns,
vigilance and controls regarding fishing and including the
avoidance of damage or destruction of dolphins and other
animals."Promoting proper attitudes and responsible conduct of
man with Mother Earth."
3. Prizes for Small-craft Fishermen. Request MAC to establish
an adequate system of prizes to small-craft fishermen in
territorial waters who are models in fishing operations and
environmental protection, publishing their example and
activities.
4. Prizes for Tuna Boats. Request MAC to grant significant
prizes to those Venezuelan tuna boats in their international
operations that are models in fishing operations and protect
the environment, publishing their example and activities.
5. Presentation of the Richness of Venezuelan Flora and Fauna.
Recommend to the respective authorities that presentations be
given on International television on the unknown richness of the
Venezuelan flora and fauna, as well as persons and institutions
involved with them. The cost of this action should be covered by
Bioma in partial compensation of the damage to the country that
has been caused by the incorrect images transmitted by a
representative of said organization.
6. Establish a Commission for the Control of Captures of
Dolphins. Establish a Commission for the Control of Dolphin
Captures with the participation of representatives of
small-craft fishermen, industrial fishing fleet, MAC, PROFAUNA
and the La Salle Society of Natural Sciences. This commission
would look for ways to optimize fishing activities, along with
a reduction of dolphin captures, centralizing the
statistics on captures. Said commission should meet at least
once a month.
7. Publish this Report. Publish the results of this report in
the appropriate organisms. The Board of Directors of the La
Salle Society of Natural Sciences Caracas, February 7, 1994.