The “drive hunt” (sometimes called the “drive fishery” or “oikomiryou” in Japanese), is an ongoing practice in Japan in which dolphins and small whales are corralled by boats and driven, sometimes by the hundreds, into shallow water where they are killed for their meat and blubber.

Not all the dolphins are killed, however. A growing and disturbing trend has surfaced that links the thriving aquarium ('captivity') industry to this archaic practice. Instead of driving dolphins to their death for human consumption and fertilizer, or as a means of what might be described as “pest control”, resulting from claims that dolphins significantly compete for fish with fisherman, fishing cooperatives are collaborating with national and international aquaria and marine amusement parks to select dolphins from these hunts for public display and human-dolphin interaction programs.

Earlier this year, WDCS launched its campaign “Driven by Demand” to highlight and put an end to these drive hunts in Japan.

Below you will find informational links and links to ways you can help.