Friday, August 12, 2016

SeaWorld vs the California Coastal Commission

Most SeaWorld supporters remember October 8th, 2015 with an agonizing amount of distaste. SeaWorld came before the California Coastal Commission to apply for a permit to build the Blue World Project. The plan was to more than double the size of their orca facilities, and present the most natural and stimulating environment for the whales possible.

Photo: SeaWorld












For years, critics compared the orca tanks to bath tubs, claiming them to be too small for the whales. So SeaWorld said "Fine, we'll just make them bigger!" Ironically, the anti-captivity community pulled out all the stops to try to prevent SeaWorld from building Blue World. How dare you try to make your tanks bigger! Talk about twisted logic.














So the time for the CCC to vote on the permit, when suddenly, we were all blindsided by the most egregious amendment, maybe of all time. If SeaWorld wanted Blue World, it would come at a dearly price: one everyone knew was way too high. The amendment stated that if SeaWorld was to build Blue World, they would have to immediately abandon their breeding program, and surrender any ability to ever transport any whales in or out of their park. While the permit ultimately was approved, everyone knew SeaWorld lost big time. I vividly remember calling my dad in tears, repeating over and over "we lost."
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We've lost. BWP is accepted but all breeding and transport would be prohibited, vote on breeding wall 11-1 and main BWP was 12-0
 I don't remember ever feeling to angry in my entire life. Two-plus years of anger from Blackfish, protests, anti-caps and John freaking Hargrove came to a head:

How dare you try to play God in the lives of these whales, or pretend to know the first thing about orca welfare. But no matter, but because a bunch of manipulative, crying "activists" convinced you that keeping animals in captivity is perhaps the most damming thing humanity has ever done: forget genocide or mass murders. A bunch of pseudo-scientists claim to know whats best, then by golly, it must be the word of God! 

 The California Coast Commission exists in a power vacuum: they have total authority over anything and everything to do with the coastline. Apparently killer whale breeding habits fall under their jurisdiction.

SeaWorld did initially protest the amendment, and filled a lawsuit, it was ultimately withdrawn. About a month after the CCC's decision, CEO Joel Manby announced the end of orca breeding, in all three SeaWorld parks. Blue World Project, on the other hand, has been officially terminated, fading into history.

So fast forward to yesterday, August 11th, 2016. The California Coastal Commission approves SeaWorld's permit to build a new ride, called "Ocean Explorer," this time, without any psychotic amendments.

Photo: SeaWorld











But SeaWorld is not out of the woods yet with the CCC: they must return in September to apply for a permit to build their new "orca encounter," which will basically just be renovations to Shamu Stadium and possibly the back pool to be more "natural." There is no proposal to expand tank size, however. What will happen when SeaWorld must once more come before the tyrannical, power hungry CCC? Only time will tell. Lets just hope it goes better than last October. I just wish I had more faith and confidence in the Commission.

Photo: SeaWorld










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