Global News - July 2007

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Brazilian fishermen caught on camera killing dolphins

Fri 20 July 2007 12:50 UK — South America

Several Brazilian fishermen have been caught on camera killing 83 dolphins and joking about their illegal activities, media reports suggest.

Brazil's Ibama environmental protection agency told the Associated Press (AP) that a video had been obtained which clearly showed a group of fishermen netting dolphins and watching them suffocate.

The dead mammals were then pulled on the boat's deck and one of the fishermen is heard to joke: "Everyone's going to jail after this filming."

Authorities said that they were trying to track down the men and prosecute them. They added that they would attempt to tighten rules which already make it illegal for dolphins to be killed in Brazilian waters.

A wildlife activist said to the AP: "Brazil has strict laws to protect whales and dolphins in their waters, and they are very clearly being abused.

"Using nets to kill these extremely sociable and intelligent animals by drowning them is completely diabolical."

It is believed that the fishermen were catching to the dolphins to sell on as shark bait.

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