Have you seen the Academy Award winning film "The Cove"? As an activist for cetaceans for over 25 years, I curiously awaited the opening night in Santa Barbara last year. Once in the theater, I anxiously sat through the upcoming movie previews as if those few minutes were longer than my weeks of waiting.

"The Cove" is best described as a real life eco-thriller, and the story of redemption of the man who trained Flipper. Along with investigative reporting, the crew works as a covert operations team to reveal a secret that could effectively turn the tides for thousands of dolphins as well as the people of Japan. The actual part of the killing is not shown until the very end for about 3 minutes. It is challenging and sad, but with a PG-13 rating is certainly a far cry from what could have been shown.

I went into the theater wondering how well the issues would be covered, as well as seeing for myself the merits that won "The Cove" awards in 14 film festivals. It is an important film, very well presented with expert interviews and key footage covering the issue of dolphin abuse, also touching on whaling and overfishing. I was very glad to see that along with Ric O'Barry, they included key activists Captain Paul Watson and Hardy Jones, all three who have dedicated their lives to save cetaceans. And without bias of my passion to protect dolphins and whales, I saw how the movie could very well receive an Academy Award.

Anticipating the film, you may have heard some people claim to be uncomfortable with seeing the abuse of dolphins. If so, then please suggest to them that before they decide, ask someone who has seen "The Cove" how they felt about the film. Please see the film, share your thoughts with your friends.

For the Dolphins & Whales, Peggy

Peggy Oki, "Cove Captain" and Cove Origami Dolphin creator

The Cove, Stop the Dolphin Slaughter
Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, The Cove follows a high-tech dive team on a mission to discover the truth about the international dolphin capture trade as practiced in Taiji, Japan. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The Cove exposes not only the tragedy of dolphin slaughtering in Japan, but also the dangerously high levels of mercury in dolphin meat and seafood, the cruelty in capturing dolphins for entertainment, and the depletion of our ocean’s fisheries by worldwide seafood consumption. We also see how the mandate of the International Whaling Commission has been manipulated by the Japanese Fisheries Agency for its benefit and its subsequent effect on the rest of the world.
http://www.thecovemovie.com
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Help us get the word out in Japan, and pressure our leaders to take action. Send a letter to President Obama, Vice President Biden and the Japanese Ambassador to the US. Your message will be displayed on social networks, web sites and blogs in Japan, along with information from the The Cove.
Make a pledge: don't go to dolphin shows.
Don't pay to see or swim with dolphins in captivity, tell your kids why ..
Go see The Cove.
The secret is out. Spread the word. The more people who see the new documentary The Cove, the greater the pressure around the world to end the killing of dolphins and whales. WAZA has the power to stop the slaughter in Taiji. Pressure them to take action now.
http://www.takepart.com/thecove/