An application by Dolphin Quest Inc. to transport dolphins via airlift between its Waikoloa and Oahu facilities has been deferred by the state Board of Agriculture.
Board Chairman Scott Enright said a decision on whether to grant a permit for transporting three dolphins for breeding purposes won’t be made until next month. Enright said the board and members of the public had questions about the application that Dolphin Quest representatives were not present to answer at a meeting in Honolulu this week.
Dolphin Quest seeks to move three male dolphins between Waikoloa and the Kahala Hotel & Resort, Oahu. The dolphins would be flown in 500 gallon tanks suspended from straps.
The Humane Society of the United States objects to the transfers, saying a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection in Waikoloa revealed inadequate facilities in January. The routine inspection found that the dolphins had access to a deteriorating section of wall that could introduce debris into the water.
Dolphin Quest spokesman Jason Price said the infraction did not endanger the health of the dolphins and that the facility has since been repaired.