Common sense concludes swimming with dolphins disturbs their rest
“For those who have never seen dolphins make love, you are missing out.” So concluded the public testimony of a person who admits to regularly swimming with dolphins.
Aside from the usual argument that “it’s good for business,” testimony included stories of how the “experience” can enhance the human condition. The question of whether swimming with dolphins serves to benefit humans is not the issue, the issue is whether humans swimming with dolphins is harmful to dolphins.
Again, we drag out “science” or the lack of “science.” I don’t know whether “common sense” can be considered a science but I will say that common sense has served humans much longer than science. Dolphins rest in near shore areas along the Kona coast. Tourists pay money to tour operators to swim with the dolphins while they rest. Dolphin lovers get their “highs” doing the same. Common sense would conclude that disturbing an animal during their rest period is not good for the animal.
NOAA is promulgating rules to protect the dolphins as accorded by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Their representatives showed great patience and restraint as those at the hearing who were at issue with the message took to shooting the messenger.
When will we as a community, a state, a society stop trying to balance the assault on our environment against profit and/or personal gratification. I support a complete prohibition on swimming with dolphin and all activity that imposes the human presence on nature in an unnatural or harmful way. I am weary of hearing people divulge that they have lived here for so many years or have been swimming with dolphin for so many years. That is not a measure of one’s intelligence or connection to the place as I believe it’s meant to imply. If that is so, then my ancestors have lived here for over a 1,000 years. I guess that trumps all you guys. Moreover, that statement that “I’ve lived here for so many years” actually detracts from one’s sincerity. Instead one should say “here is what I have learned since moving here so many years ago.”
My story about the person seeing dolphins making love can only be complemented by the story of how a male dolphin upon “visiting” three female dolphins swam over to this person to show him his dolphin masculinity.
Folks, this testimony is on the record in a hearing convened by a federal agency duly authorized to look after our marine mammal.
Charles Young
Honaunau
Governments fail to protect natural, cultural resources
As IUCN World Conservation Congress participants gathered to deliberate on global conservation issues, comparable issues also prevail in Hawaii. While attending, I noted a common factor throughout the sessions – governments and political leaders have failed to protect the natural and cultural resources as well as the rights and traditional practices of indigenous peoples. Meanwhile, their voices are ignored or silenced as they strive to protect their lands, waters, and way of life. Politicians have allowed foreign and corporate business interests to degrade and adversely impact these resources and the people intimately connected to them. Similarly, government and political figures in Hawaii have failed to protect our natural and cultural resources and the rights and customary practices of Native Hawaiians despite the state constitution and laws that mandate such protection. This is the primary issue on Mauna Kea with the state and University of Hawaii permitting the over development on the summit with 13 telescopes and other astronomy facilities built by foreign countries and corporations despite being in violation of conservation district rules HAR 13-5-30(c).
The proposed TMT project represents “too many telescopes” on public lands zoned for conservation protection. Things are out of balance on our majestic mountain. TMT’s attempt to influence land use decisions to overlook conservation laws and to buy public opinions with $1 million for education and a promise of jobs is a blatant “community bribe.” As it is, the TMT partners (Canada, Japan, UC, CalTech) already operate and own the larger telescopes on Mauna Kea. Instead of building another massive telescope, why don’t the existing observatories (excluding UH’s) each contribute $1 million for a total of $10 million a year for education since they’ve only been paying a $1 a year for rent these past decades and why don’t they hire more locals instead of only 18 percent from Hawaii Island?
Kalani Flores
Waimea