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He said “most” of the 500 staff members were against banning cetaceans at the Stanley Park attraction and research facility, but he knows there are some staff who support the ban.

Reaction to Thursday’s announcement was mixed.

“Oh my god, really? That’s such a relief,” said Annelise Sorg, president of No Whales in Captivity, after learning about the decision.

Sorg said she was disappointed it seemed to be financial considerations forcing the aquarium to accept the ban, rather than “concern for cetaceans.”

“I’m disappointed that they didn’t come out and say they were ending captivity because it is cruel,” she said.

Animal Justice called the decision a “tremendous victory for the thousands of compassionate citizens who stood up against the cruel practice of keeping smart, sentient whales and dolphins imprisoned in tiny tanks.”

In a statement, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) said it was “disappointing” that the public would no longer be able to see whales and dolphins “up close” at the Vancouver Aquarium.

“When your choices are continuing to do important research and to educate the public on the wonders of the ocean, or going to jail under a misguided bylaw, it is not much of a choice,” said the statement from Dan Ashe, president and CEO of AZA. “There is no doubt deciding to discontinue having whales and dolphins at the aquarium is an agonizing one that they were forced to make.”