“Request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” says Minister.
This morning, the Canadian federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) denied Marineland Canada’s application to export their 30 surviving beluga whales to a marine entertainment park in China. DFO Minister Joanne Thompson said that she could not “in good conscience” approve the export and that “to approve the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment.” The Whale Sanctuary Project fully supports this compassionate decision.
In 2019, Canada passed legislation to bring an end to keeping cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) in captivity as a form of entertainment. The law also mandates that the Minister can issue an export permit only if it is for the purpose of conducting scientific research or if keeping a cetacean in captivity elsewhere is in the best interests of its welfare.
“The first step is for independent veterinarians to conduct comprehensive health evaluations of each beluga.”
Other governments around the world have been taking similar action in response to the growing public outcry against the exploitation of these cognitively complex animals whose intelligence and emotional sensitivity rivals our own. It is time to bring an end worldwide to the capture, breeding and use of whales for entertainment
What will happen now to the whales and dolphins at Marineland?
“The first step is for independent veterinarians to conduct comprehensive health evaluations of each beluga, as well as the dolphins at Marineland,” said Charles Vinick, Chief Executive Officer of the Whale Sanctuary Project. “It is only with the knowledge of each individual’s health and welfare that responsible decisions can be made about what is best for them. These belugas have entertained millions of people and earned millions of dollars for Marineland’s owners. These whales deserve a dignified, supportive and compassionate retirement.”