OTTAWA: The federal government has rejected a request by MarineLand to send its remaining beluga whales to China. The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has denied Marineland Canada’s request to export its 30 remaining beluga whales to a theme park in China.
The 2019 Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act (new window) banned keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises for breeding or entertainment in Canada. Exporting the animals requires a special federal permit. The fisheries minister can only issue an export permit if it is for the purpose of conducting scientific research or if keeping an animal in captivity elsewhere is in the best interests of its welfare.
MarineLand has not yet responded publicly to the federal government’s decision regarding the permit denial. The issue comes against a backdrop of recent deaths at the facility, twenty beluga whales housed at MarineLand have died since 2019. Thirty beluga whales currently remain at the park.
