California Coastal Commission staff has recommended approval of a plan by SeaWorld San Diego to significantly expand its killer whale tanks, despite objections by some animal rights advocates, according to documents released Friday.
The theme park on Mission Bay wants to build two orca pools, one filled with 5.2 million gallons of water and the other with a capacity of 450,000 gallons, to replace the current single 1.7 million-gallon tank. The “Blue World” project is projected to open in 2018.
“This revolutionary project reflects our ongoing commitment to the health and welfare of our killer whales, allows us to enhance educational programs for our guests and students, and provides even greater research opportunities for scientists to help protect whales in the wild,” SeaWorld said in a statement.
Animal rights groups — who have been trying for years to get the orcas released into the wild — contend that under the SeaWorld plan the whales might have larger tanks, but are still captive.
The commission staff recommended approval after SeaWorld officials pledged that the facility will not house any orcas taken from the wild after Feb. 12, 2014, nor will it utilize killer whale genetic material taken from the wild after the same date.
SeaWorld also agreed to not increase its orca population except through the occasional birth, or rescues authorized by government agencies.
“The proposed Blue World project will provide not only an expanded habitat for whales, but also new opportunities for researchers to conduct studies that will benefit killer whales and other cetaceans in the wild,” said Dr. Paul Ponganis, a research physiologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “In addition, a dynamic animal environment like Blue World may inspire a host of future marine biologists, veterinarians, and other scientists.”
According to SeaWorld, the project is supported by the national and state associations of zoos and aquariums, some veterinarians and researchers, and a bipartisan group of local elected officials.
However, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which had led an national effort to release the park’s killer whales, condemned the project.
“These orcas would still be deprived of everything that is natural and important to them, would still be drugged, and would still die at young ages from captivity-related causes,” said Jared Goodman, director of animal law for the organization.
Commission staff attached eight conditions to its recommendation that are designed to limit the project’s impact on the surrounding area. The matter is scheduled to go before the commission Oct. 8 at a meeting in Long Beach.
City News Service contributed to this article.
