Today we are extremely happy to inform you that Canada has just officially banned dolphin and whale captivity, including breeding. The legislation is nicknamed the “Free Willy” bill, named after the 1993 movie.

On Monday, the country’s House of Commons voted to pass Bill S-203, the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act, over three years after it was first introduced in late 2015. (source)

Violations of the law will be punishable by fines of up to 200,000 Canadian dollars (about $150,000).

However, there are some notable exceptions; marine mammals already being held will be allowed to be kept in captivity, including those who were rescued, those being rehabilitated from injuries or for the purposes of licensed scientific research. Aquariums, parks and zoos will be allowed to keep their captive performing cetaceans but can no longer replace them.

Canadian animal rights organizations praised the passage of the bill on social media.

The country’s Green Party celebrated on Monday, writing, “These intelligent, social mammals will now get to live where they belong — in the ocean.”

“Canadians have been clear, they want the cruel practice of keeping whales and dolphins in captivity to end. With the passage of Bill S-203, we have ensured that this will happen,” she added.

Experts have argued that whales and dolphins face tremendous psychological and physical suffering while in captivity, including chronic health problems, abnormal behaviour, prolonged isolation and extreme boredom, and high infant mortality.

The move brings Canada up to speed with a growing list of countries seeking an end to cetacean captivity. HSI/Canada executive director Rebecca Aldworth described the passage of the bill as a “watershed moment” in the protection of the sea creatures as a well as a victory for the people of Canada who want “a more humane country,” explaining:

“Whales and dolphins don’t belong in tanks, and the inherent suffering these highly social and intelligent animals endure in intensive confinement can no longer be tolerated.”

In the United States, conversations about whale and dolphin captivity have mostly centered around the SeaWorld theme park chain. In 2013, the documentary Blackfish premiered, arguing that the conditions of captivity (tiny cages, close quarters to other whales, performance training) caused a whale named Tilikum to contribute to the deaths of three humans.

After the documentary was aired back in 2016, SeaWorld was quick to announce they would end its captive breeding program. The theme park will only introduce rescued orcas from the wild that are not well enough to be released back into the oceans. There are 60 orcas that are held in captivity worldwide and 20 of these are in SeaWorld parks.

Source of Article: People & The Mind Unleashed

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