Aruba Marine Mammal                            Foundation

 

AMIGOE.COM 

Last Update: Friday, January 18, 2007

Governor investigating admission of dolphins from Cuba  Six new dolphins – three females and three males – arrived at Sea Aquarium on Saturday, November 10.  Most important reason for getting these controversial dolphins from Cuba was the future of the business, says management.  “We have been looking for 11 years already and could not find them anywhere.  Even the opponents didn’t come with alternatives”, indicated management.  WILLEMSTAD – The Cabinet of the Governor has started an orientation investigation on the import of 6 dolphins from Cuba late last year and whether the decision of the government is adverse to international treaties and national legislation or not.  The governor is doing this on his own initiative after media-reports on this, mentioned reliable sources.  Cuban dolphins are mostly caught in the wild.  This is at the very least extremely controversial and besides capturing them, also keeping them in captivity is possibly not allowed.  The governor is following the developments closely, but has not taken actions yet, by for example summoning the government.  If he does, the procedure will suspend the decision with the request to possibly reverse the decision; if they don’t, the next step is to destroy them.  Something like that also happened last year regarding the decision of the Governing Body of Bonaire for the build of Mangrove Village.  The Party for the Animals (PvdD, with two of the 150 seats) has meanwhile asked questions in Parliament about the acquisition of ‘wild dolphins’ by the dolphinarium of Curacao.  How does this relate to international treaties and legislation for the protection of sea mammals living in the wild, is Marianne Thieme’s question to Sate Secretary Ank Bijleveld-Schouten (CDA) of Kingdom Relations and her fellow party member Gerda Verburg (CDA) of Agriculture and Nature.  The Amigoe reported late October that several owners inside the Curacao Ocean Resort at the Sea Aquarium wanted to appeal to the National Ordinance Open Nature of Government (LOB) to figure out whether the council of ministers has indeed given positive reaction on the request of Curaçao Public Aquarium NV to import six more dolphins and keep them in captivity; this despite a negative official advise.  Contrary to earlier acquired dolphins from Honduras that were born in captivity, these appeared to be dolphins from Cuba.    The lawyer that the neighbouring residents have hired said to know that the request of Sea Aquarium was submitted around November 2006; that the Public Health department had issued negative advise early February 2007; that jurist and also former PNP-premier Suzy Camelia-Römer has yet given a positive counter advice; and that by minister council decision on March 28 is decided in favour of the request of Curaçao Public Aquarium and its affiliated partnerships, like Curaçao Dolphin Academy and Curaçao Dolphin Therapy & Research Center.  It is about an exemption of the legal prohibition to keep protected species of animals in captivity.    Immediately after the publication, the then director Laetitia Lindgren indicated that she dissociate herself from this controversial and in her eyes, bad decision of the other members of management, including Adriaan ‘Dutch’ Schrier and Rudy Pizziolo.   She called this immoral.  Lindgren was later fired as director.  The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) in the United Kingdom alerted the Antillean government, protesting against the acquisition of dolphins from Cuba by Curaçao Sea Aquarium.  They requested the government to comply with UNEP’s Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol that prohibits the catching as well as the keeping of dolphins in captivity.  WDCS indicated recently having applauded the Antillean government’s policy that according to the organization prohibits the Sea Aquarium to keep Caribbean dolphins caught in the wild and that the Neth.Antilles has refused to attend to new requests for dolphinarium.

 

 

Amigoe.com 

Cubaanse dolfijn dood
26 Nov, 2007, 16:58 (GMT -04:00)
http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/artikel_37191.php 

English translation of article:

Cuban dolphin dead 

WILLEMSTAD – One of the six dolphins that Sea Aquarium imported recently from Cuba, died last Saturday.  According to the new owner, it very much looks like the dolphin had a chronic disease.  “The other dolphins are healthy and are being closely watched.” 

In a press release Sea Aquarium announced the death of Dolphin René on Saturday afternoon, November 24 around 16:00.  Trying to save René’s life, Sea Aquarium has flown in another veterinarian to assist her own vet, Dolf van der Giessen.  Both vets did autopsy, and the result was the René had a disease.  Sea Aquarium had several specimens taken that will be examined thoroughly to determine the exact reason for death.   

The dolphin died exactly two weeks after he was imported from Cuba with five more.  Sea Aquarium simply ignored the many objections and still imported six dolphins that were caught in the wild.  With these six dolphins, the Sea Aquarium wants to set up her own breeding program.  They cannot do this with the dolphins of the Dolphin Academy and the therapy and training center, because these are not their property, neither are the ones born from these dolphins.  The new imported dolphins have each cost 125.000 dollars.    A group of people within the Dolphin Academy has opposed the arrival of the new dolphins, but the shareholders Dutch Schrier and Rudy Pizziolo have a controlling interest in this organization also.

 

 

Amigoe.com

Internationaal protest tegen import Curaçao van dolfijnen uit Cuba
22 Nov, 2007, 17:14 (GMT -04:00)
http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/artikel_37064.php

 

English translation of article:

International protest against Curaçao importing dolphins from Cuba 

WILLEMSTAD -- De Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) in the United Kingdom alerts the Antillean government and protests against Curaçao Sea Aquarium’s purchase of dolphins from Cuba.  There is a lot of international attention for the protection of the mammals; dolphins from Cuba are completely controversial, because they are most of the time caught in the wild.   

The six dolphins arrived in Curacao two weeks ago. Contrary to a few years ago when dolphins were imported from Honduras, this time Sea aquarium imported these dolphins from Cuba and in all secrecy.   Worse, Sea Aquarium didn’t answer any of Amigoe’s telephone calls before the arrival of the dolphins.  It was not until the dolphins were here in Curacao that Mike Schoon, on behalf of the Sea Aquarium gave some information on among others the objections lodged (also locally) to dolphins from Cuba; namely from Dolphin Academy management member Laetitia Lindgren, who said that she dissociates herself from purchasing dolphins from Cuba.  Schoon brushed this off by saying that this is ‘not the position of the majority’.   

In a letter to the editor of this news paper, WDCS in the British Wiltshire writes today that the Society is ‘very disappointed’ that the dolphinarium in Curacao is further affecting the well-being of the Caribbean dolphins.  The organization that calls itself the worldwide voice for the benefit of protecting whales, dolphins, and their living environment, urges the government with great emphasis to take actions.  They ask the government to comply with UNEP’s Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol that prohibits the catching of dolphins as well as keeping them in captivity. 

WDCS also indicated recently that they have applauded the policy of the Antillean government on not allowing the Sea Aquarium to keep Caribbean dolphins caught in the wild and that the Neth.Antilles does not attend new applications for dolphinarium.  WDCS therefore expresses her ‘deep concern’ in the letter to the government and to this paper.

 

 

 

Amigoe.com

12 Nov, 2007, 17:38 (GMT -04:00)

Curaçao
Dolfijnen gearriveerd
 Abonnee Artikel

WILLEMSTAD — Zo geruisloos mogelijk arriveerden zaterdagmiddag zes nieuwe dolfijnen bij het Sea Aquarium. Eenmaal aangekomen is de geheimzinnigheid eraf. “We hebben niets te verbergen”, zegt Mike Schoon van het Sea Aquarium. Belangrijkste reden voor het halen van deze omstreden dolfijnen uit Cuba is volgens hem de toekomst van het bedrijf. “We zijn hier elf jaar mee bezig en hebben ze nergens kunnen vinden. Ook van de tegenstanders hebben we geen alternatief gehoord.”
 

 

Amigoe.com 

Basin klaargemaakt voor dolfijnen
10 Nov, 2007, 17:49 (GMT -04:00)
http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/artikel_36612.php

 

English translation of article

Basin made ready for dolphins 

When it comes down to work, Dutch Schrier most of the time assumes control or does it himself. 

WILLEMSTAD – The screw propellers of the boat of the boss of Sea Aquarium, Dutch Schrier ran extra hours in the past week.  The engines of the boat blow the basin clean, in which the new dolphins are going to live.  The arrival of more dolphins is controversial for more reasons. 

Rumours are that the dolphins arrive today or tomorrow on the island.  They come from Cuba, where they are presumably caught in the wild.  They are therefore much cheaper than the ones of the Dolphin Academy that come from Honduras, where they were born in captivity.  According to reports, dolphins from Cuba cost 125.000 dollars a piece, while those from Honduras cost at least seven times as much.  Dolphin Academy has dissociated herself from the new acquisition. 

The law was adapted when Sea Aquarium-owner Schrier started with the exploitation of dolphins early this century.  One of the restrictions was that keeping dolphins would contribute to scientific research and education.  In the past years, the Dolphin Academy has fostered much goodwill with dolphin therapies for backward children.  Not all the experts agree with the therapeutic functioning, but swimming with dolphins enjoys an enormous popularity.  Sea Aquarium management was not available for an elucidation.

 

WILLEMSTAD – The screw propellers of the boat of the boss of Sea Aquarium, Dutch Schrier ran extra hours in the past week.  The engines of the boat blow the basin clean, in which the new dolphins are going to live.  The arrival of more dolphins is controversial for more reasons. 

Rumours are that the dolphins arrive today or tomorrow on the island.  They come from Cuba, where they are presumably caught in the wild.  They are therefore much cheaper than the ones of the Dolphin Academy that come from Honduras, where they were born in captivity.  According to reports, dolphins from Cuba cost 125.000 dollars a piece, while those from Honduras cost at least seven times as much.  Dolphin Academy has dissociated herself from the new acquisition. 

The law was adapted when Sea Aquarium-owner Schrier started with the exploitation of dolphins early this century.  One of the restrictions was that keeping dolphins would contribute to scientific research and education.  In the past years, the Dolphin Academy has fostered much goodwill with dolphin therapies for backward children.  Not all the experts agree with the therapeutic functioning, but swimming with dolphins enjoys an enormous popularity.  Sea Aquarium management was not available for an elucidation.

 

 

 

 

AMIGOE.COM 

English translation of article 

http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/artikel_36236.php

Last Update: Thursday, November 01, 2007

Dolphin Academy dissociate herself from Sea Aquarium  WILLEMSTAD – Through Laetitia Lindgren and George Kieffer, Curaçao Dolphin Academy dissociates herself from Curaçao Sea Aquarium’s plan to import new dolphins from Cuba.  They call the import of Cuban dolphins ‘immoral’ and they regret the fact that Sea Aquarium has let herself talk into importing dolphins from this country.  Lindgren and Kieffer indicated this in a written declaration because of the Amigoe-report of yesterday ‘Protest residents against the expansion of the Sea Aquarium’.  They say that during the past years, Curaçao Dolphin Academy has proved that they treating dolphins in captivity extremely well.  “As the only dolphin business and active partner of the ‘2007 and 2008 Year of the Dolphin’ proclaimed by the United Nations with the Dolphin Fund, Dolphin Academy devotes herself to combat the unnecessary catching of dolphins for the benefit of dolphin industries.  Besides, enough dolphins in captivity worldwide take care of this with reproductions of their own.’  They say that importing dolphins from Cuba is very controversial; most respectable countries keep the import of dolphins from this country out.  Lindgren is therefore very much against the import of dolphins from Cuba and she is afraid that the actions of Curacao Sea Aquarium would have repercussions on the good name and reputation of the Dolphin Academy.  Dolphin Academy is not involved with Sea Aquarium.  The Dolphin Academy rents accommodation on the premises of Sea Aquarium and the Academy pays the Aquarium for the use of water and electricity.   “The Dolphin Academy has no operational involvement with Curaçao Sea Aquarium and Curaçao Dolphin Therapy & Research Center.   These are three different, independent organizations with their own group of animals, for which each organization takes care of separately.”  Lindgren therefore hopes that Curaçao Dolphin Academy ‘is in no way associated withy the import of dolphins from Cuba, something that Curaçao Sea Aquarium is considering.    As this paper mentioned yesterday, several administrators of the Curaçao Public Aquarium NV are also official directors of the Curaçao Dolphin Academy NV.  These are Adriaan ‘Dutch’ Schier and Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Pizziolo and they are also involved with the Curaçao Dolphin Therapy & Research Center NV.

AMIGOE.COM 

Curaçao
Protest bewoners tegen uitbreiding Sea Aquarium
31 Okt, 2007, 17:55 (GMT -04:00)

 http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/printer_36202.php

 

 

Woensdag 24 oktober 2007 

http://www.ad.nl/binnenland/article1770059.ece

 

AMMF salutes Dutch parliament member Marianne Thieme!

 

Dutch parliament member Marianne Thieme, in an interview with the  AD-newspaper , dd. Oct 20, 2007, expressed her wishes to close down   Dolphin Academy in Curacao and gave her support to the local and international protest against the De Palm Tours plans to build a dolphinarium in Aruba.

 

"Dolphins actually rescue people and now we exploit them for commercial purposes. Whether they are captive-born or not is not the point. It (DA) is presented under the disguise of science and therapy. But that is what you have to pinpoint through. It is all about commerce."   

 

Note :

Marianne Thieme represents the Party for the Animals. For the first time in world history a political party by animal activists obtains seats (s) in a national parliament. Aruba is part of the Dutch- Kingdom.

 

 

http://www.nieuws.nl/483610    

 

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article471956.ece/Thieme_wil_Dolphin_Academy_op_Curaccedil_ao_sluiten?source=rss

 

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/article73415951.ece?cid=rss

 

http://www.nrc.nl/anp/binnenland/article792332.ece/Thieme_wil_Dolphin_Academy_op_Curaccedil_ao_sluiten