Vote in Poll Here: https://netivist.org/debate/should-dolphin-hunting-be-banned
Dolphin meat is part of the cuisine of some countries, however this is not the only driver for dolphin hunts. Dolphins are often hunted to be sold to aquatic parks and dolphinariums for shows and swimming courses. Dolphin hunting has become highly controversial and has raised international criticism, not only due to the cruelty toward dolphins but also to the possible health risk that the often polluted meat causes. Despite criticisms, thousands of dolphins are caught in drive hunts each year. Many of them are killed for their meat but many others end up in dolphinariums and aquatic parks. The Taiji dolphin drive hunt is probably the most famous of those traditional hunts and provide income for hundred of local residents. The residents of Taiji and the surrounding area have been refining whaling techniques since the 17th century and now run annually a large scale dolphin drive hunt.
Is dolphin hunting following traditional methods justifiable? What if dolphins are not slaughtered but sold to aquatic parks? Do dolphins deserve a special treatment compared to other animals? Should dolphin hunting be completely banned?
Exposing the Big Game 
Should humans start hunting humans and eating them; have a hunting and trapping season on each other? Are dolphins any less sentient than humans? All humans have not evolved equally. Like Neanderthal and Cro Magnon man coexisted for thousands of years, there are primitives among us. But should we hunt and eat them, or process people into food a l Solyent Green with Charleston Heston 1976. Head them up round them up, rawhide!
Trapping and shooting, netting and clubbing animals is inherently cruel and barbaric. Trapped animals and wounded (shot) animals feel the same as us, terrified and tortured. Shooting does not always immediately kill. Archery, arrows to the body wound about 50% of the time leading to hours, weeks, months of suffering. In the case of wolves, animals equal to if not superior to us in social connectedness and definition of sentient, it is horrendous. Wolves have been known to stand by mates or pack members jeopardizing and even losing their own lives in doing so; known to return to the place of a fallen loved one over and over; and packs are known to disintegrate after the loss of an alpha male or female. It is human arrogance and self-centeredness to think that we have a monopoly on emotional and physical pain and intelligence and consciousness (sentient existence) as trappers and hunters evidently do, but not just trappers. I have talked to religious people who are offended at the idea that wolves or say dolphins are sentient as well other animals. Wolves and dolphins and killer whales, for example, also plan, have foresight, and execute plans. They play, use teamwork, nurture and protect each other and their young. Young wolves spend 25% of their lives learning from their elders. Hunters and trappers treat wolves and other animal targets as objects, as renewable recreational and profitable opportunities. Who is the superior animal? I have my opinion, which you can probably guess.