""To approve the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment," Thompson said. "Like many of you, I am angered that these whales have lived a life of captivity and as a result their health has deteriorated," she said. "Canadians expect me to act in the best interest of the whales. Under difficult circumstances with regrettable outcomes, that is what I have done.""
""In an interview with CBC News on Wednesday, Thompson revealed she personally visited Marineland last month and "looked the belugas in the eye." "It was obvious to me that whales belong in the ocean," she said. "To see 30 belugas in contained spaces was very difficult." The 2019 Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act banned keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises for breeding or entertainment in Canada. Exporting the animals requires a special federal permit.""
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans denied Marineland Canada's request to export 30 beluga whales to a theme park in China, citing protections in the Fisheries Act and concerns for marine mammal welfare. The decision rejected continued captivity and a return to public entertainment for the belugas. The fisheries minister personally visited Marineland and observed the belugas in contained spaces, concluding that whales belong in the ocean. The 2019 Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act bans keeping these animals for breeding or entertainment in Canada. Export requires a special federal permit limited to research or demonstrable welfare interests. Marineland did not respond to requests for comment, and next steps rest with Marineland and the province.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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