WILLEMSTAD - The export license granted to bring the five dolphins from the Seaquarium to Saudi Arabia is legal. This is according to the ruling of the General Court of Justice in Willemstad. The appeal filed by the Animal Rights foundation against that export license was submitted too late and, according to the judge, the foundation had no legal interest in the appeal.  

Litigation interest is the interest that a party has in the outcome of a proceeding. Making the claim of legal interest means that you must be able to achieve what you set out with your appeal. Destruction of the export license does not lead to the return of the dolphins to Curaçao, nor to the relocation of the dolphins to another location. 

living conditions  

The outcome would also be the same in the case of substantive treatment, because on the basis of the applicable legislation and regulations, the living conditions of the animals to be exported in the country of arrival do not have to be assessed before the export license is granted. 

The reason why the dolphins were exported is also not important for the legality of the export license. Furthermore, according to the judge, all applicable laws and regulations have been complied with.  

At an earlier stage, the judge imposed a penalty of 200,000 guilders per dolphin if Sea Aquarium exports the dolphins without a valid and sufficient export license. But those permits turned out to be in order.  

The dolphins are owned by the holding company Turslops Investments B.V., of which Adriaan Schrier is Supervisory Director.  

This ruling is subject to appeal within six weeks of notification of today's ruling.