Yu-Ai Ketphet, an officer from the Fisheries Department declined to explain full details of the import, but she did say that the company behind Nemo could be in the process or importing 5 or 6 dolphins but she wasn’t sure.
“After the necessary improvements were made to the facility the Phuket Fisheries Department, together with a dolphin specialist and engineer inspected the whole facility again.”
Dr Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong from the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC) who is a dolphin and turtle specialist said, “As far as I know the import document stated that about five dolphins were going to be imported from the Ukraine.
“The Marine Biological Centre’s requirements are that any imported animals must not be taken from their natural environment. These dolphins are farmed.
“We have seen that the facility has been improved and is OK to house dolphins.
“We don’t want wild dolphins in a dolphinarium and I don’t believe the dolphins that will be kept here will be released back into a natural environment,” Dr Kongkiat said.
A number of people and organisations have campaigned to put a stop to the Nemo dolphinarium, most recently Skal International Phuket & Southern Thailand’s executive committee and the SKAL members who issued a statement in protest against the opening and called upon all SKAL and non-Skal members from any industries in Phuket to join the protest against this project. (See story here)