SeaWorld San Diego went before the California Coastal Commission recently to get approval for its $100 million Blue World Project, which would double the volume of their existing killer whale facility.
During the course of the hearing, the Commission added an amendment that bans killer whale breeding at SeaWorld San Diego and another that limits whale transportation as a condition of final approval.
In a statement released on October 15, 2015, SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. announced that the company “intends to pursue legal action against the California Coastal Commission for its overreaching condition that would ban killer whale breeding at SeaWorld San Diego.”
Sea World president an chief executive Joel Manby added, “It simply defies common sense that a straightforward land-use permit approval would turn into a ban on animal husbandry practices–an area in which the Commissioners have no education, training or expertise.”
Jared Goodman, director of animal law for the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), disagrees, saying that “although the Coastal Act focuses on protecting open spaces and wildlife in their native state, it contains no limiting language that excludes captive wildlife.”
A spokesperson for the California Coastal Commission had no comment on SeaWorld’s complaint.
The Blue World Project was expected to be open to the public in 2018.
Source: New York Times
Photo: SeaWorld Entertainment
