The Solomon Islands government has placed a ban on the live export of dolphins from January next year.
It says the decision's in line with its policy on conserving marine species and not in response to condemnation of the practice by the Earth Island Institute.
But the government says the export of a quota of 50 live dolphins up to the end of the end of the year can go ahead.
It says this will allow dolphin exporters to change their business strategy ahead of the ban being implemented.
The decision comes as a local company prepares to send live bottlenose dolphins to China.
