By Kirsten Massebeau

Please donate now and help keep dolphin eco-tourism alive in Futo Japan. Dolphin and Whale watching instead of hunting!

Izumi Ishii ex-dolphin hunter turned away from killing dolphins to embrace their intelligence, beauty and friendship. As a young boy Izumi grew up in the world of the dolphin hunters. He saw and photographed many dolphins during dolphin drives in Futo. His appreciation of dolphins turned him away from hunting and towards dolphin and whale watching.

Dying Dolphin By Izumi Ishii taken 1964. He was a 10th grader. Today he needs our help!

I filmed this pic at the age of a tenth grader (1964).
This dolphin was driven into the port.
This dolphin had very sad eyes on a beach.
I felt it.
Only eyes go out of the surface of the water subtly.
To see it, I pressed the shutter.
This scene is still left to me in a heart. (Izumi Ishii)

Kohkaimaru or Miss Bright Sea final payment is due August 10, 2013 please help!

He was the first to step away from dolphin hunting. In 1997 Izumi Ishii changed his life forever by turning away from dolphin hunting and instead embracing dolphin and whale watching. In 2002 a dream came true when he began his Dolphin Eco-Tourism business. Since that time he has taken out many people of Japan and other countries to see dolphins and whales in their natural habitat the ocean where they are wild and free. His wish to educate people about these amazing beings came true.

Today he needs our help. His message is one of dolphin freedom and love for dolphins. We must support his voice,and his desire to see all dolphin and whale hunting ended. By supporting Ishii-san we support a new day for the dolphins of Japan.

Please donate now to help Miss Bright Sea and Dolphins!

What can you do to help dolphins in Japan? Support Izumi Ishii as he makes his final payment on the loan due August 10th for Miss Bright Sea. Let us support a dolphin hunters move to dolphin watching. Ishii-san is positive change in Japan! Why you should help:

Ishii san now needs everyone’s help to make this happen. Ishii san was forced to take out a series of loans to get through the tough economy and has remained true to his beliefs that hunting dolphins is no longer the way to earn a living. He has suffered ridicule amongst his fellow Japanese fisherman for speaking out against the drive fisheries. He has hoped he could be a role model in Japan and help lead the eco-tourist movement in Japan. On August 10th the final payment is due. Ishii san needs our help to raise the final 600,000 JY (about $6,000 US Dollars) Ishii san is an example to all Dolphin Hunters in Japan what can happen if you stop the slaughter. It is critical that the world show its support for what he has done. Ishii san has planned to travel to other parts of Japan and share his success as an eco-tourist operator and we need to ensure he has the opportunity to do so. Please make you donation, no matter how small or big today. This is a step in the battle to end the slaughter and we can help!

Donate now and help keep the dream of dolphin freedom and safety from hunting alive!