Coastal Commission Bans Orca Breeding at SeaWorld in San Diego!

On October 8, 2015, yet another nail was hammered into the coffin of SeaWorld; this time by the California Coastal Commission. We thank you for helping IDA contribute, in small part, by signing on to a collaborative letter with other organizations to this pivotal endeavor against captivity for cetaceans – and eventually all animals!

After an all-day meeting filled with hundreds of vocal opponents and supporters of the aquatic circus facility, the Commission approved the permit for SeaWorld’s $100-million Blue World project that would see the construction of a bigger holding tank for orca whales. However, the conditions on the permit include a ban on captive whale breeding and significant restrictions on the transferring of whales into and out of the park.

“A ban on breeding would sentence these animals to a slow extinction in our care,” said John Reilly, president of SeaWorld San Diego. According to the Los Angeles Times, Reilly and the other SeaWorld employees rushed out of the building after the vote.

The California Coastal Commission, which has authority over construction along the state’s shoreline, received 250,000 responses from the public on the issue — much of them opposed to project. Animal advocate groups and concerned individuals presented their opposition to a packed room filled with signage like “Vote NO on Blue World!” The passion from both sides was palpable.

While the Blue World project was purportedly intended to provide more space and enrichment for the orcas at SeaWorld, many saw this as a ploy to combat the public backlash in the wake of the documentary Blackfish. The ploy was unveiled as Dr. Naomi Rose noted in her presentation to the Commission, the proposed additional environmental features, such as rocks and plants, are located on land and not within the tanks – therefore not providing any enrichment for the whales at all.

The company later admitted that it intended to breed more orcas to fill the new tanks and to sell to other companies!

SeaWorld is fighting the decision. Lawyers for the company argue that only the federal government has the jurisdiction to restrict orca breeding and transfers. The Commission focuses on preserving coastal values and resources, so if SeaWorld appeals the decision, the Commission would need to demonstrate that the breeding and transfer restrictions violate these values.

Overall, this major victory represents the changing tide of public opinion that increasingly acknowledges the suffering captive orcas endure. Thank you for staying with us as IDA continues to expand on this success with even more work to help cetaceans and our fellow family of animals!