Japan Drive Fisheries

Many of you have seen the movie The Cove or the new series Blood Dolphins, both of which aired this past weekend on Animal Planet. Some of you have contacted us with questions about claims made by the shows that dolphins are captured in Japan and sent to marine mammal parks and facilities around the world. Dolphin Research Center is happy to answer your questions.

Dolphin Research Center and all of the 44 members of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums condemn the mass killings of dolphins in the Japanese drive fisheries. For many years, we have educated visitors from around the world about the drive fisheries, calling on the Japanese to end this centuries-old practice.

DRC does not support the Taiji, Japan, drive fishery in any way. We do not have or take animals from the drive.

Not a single dolphin from Japan lives here or at any marine mammal park or aquarium in the United States, nor at any other Alliance member facility.

No dolphins have been captured from the wild to live at United States parks since the late 1980s.

Misinformation in The Cove and Blood Dolphins (A new series by Ric O’Barry) and in comments by the shows' principals makes it seem that dolphins captured in the Japan drive fisheries are sold to facilities in this country and around the world. That is not true. Continuing to mislead the public undermines the filmmakers’ credibility and does nothing to further the purpose of ending the Japanese dolphin killings.

We and other Alliance member zoos, aquariums and marine parks are widely and rightly recognized by the public and by governments worldwide for our important and long-standing contributions to marine education, to the protection of ocean wildlife and habitats, and to the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and stranded marine mammals, sea turtles and other animals. The American public continued to show its support for the good work done by zoos and aquariums, and the dedicated and caring professionals who work with these animals, with more than 140 million visits in the last year alone.

Thank you!

Cuteness Counts

If we could bottle Florida Keys Sunshine and sell it, we'd all be wealthy as royalty. Instead, we'll celebrate that we live on these beautiful, sun-drenched islands, surrounded by clean (oil-free), gorgeous water. Plus, those of us who work at or visit Dolphin Research Center are greeted by dolphins -- including these two cuties.


Delta turns nine months old this month. He's a handsome boy with a lot of charm.


Luna is almost seven months old. She'll melt your heart!

Do you have vacation plans for a last trip before the kids go back to school? How about visiting the Florida Keys and Dolphin Research Center. Delta, Luna, and all of the dolphins, sea lions and humans would love to see you.