September 6, 2018: This morning, the Whale Sanctuary Project issued the following statement regarding future treatment of the orca Scarlet/J-50:
“There has been much discussion over the past couple of days about the next steps that should be taken to help Scarlet. The Whale Sanctuary Project supports continuing treatment for Scarlet while she is free-swimming with her family group. Only if she were to live-strand or to become separated from her family would we support taking her to an ocean-based sea pen for temporary treatment prior to returning her to her family. Under no circumstances would we support transferring Scarlet to an entertainment park or aquarium.”