Report recommends approving bigger SeaWorld orca tanks

The commission staff recommended approval after SeaWorld officials pledged that the facility will not house any orcas taken from the wild after February 12, 2014, nor will it utilize killer whale genetic material taken from the wild after the same date.

In a victory for SeaWorld, the staff of the California Coastal Commission has recommended the approval of a permit to build an expanded holding facility for the theme park’s killer whales, despite opposition from animal rights groups. Many expressed opposition to the plans, calling the expansion a marketing ploy to boost SeaWorld attendance, which has plummeted since the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which suggests the park’s treatment of captive orcas provokes violent behavior. Noaki Schwartz, a spokeswoman for the agency, said more than 120,000 e-mails and thousands of letters have been sent by people criticizing them about their new project.

She said: “This is not limiting them in any way”.

If approved, the Blue World Project is scheduled to be finished by 2018, resulting in “more natural, dynamic and adaptable environments”, according to the company.

Some environmentalists fear the bigger tanks will be used by SeaWorld to breed more orcas.

The commission’s recommendation quickly drew sharp criticism from animal rights activists, who said that coastal planners have done little to guard against continued captivity of killer whales.

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 1.7 million gallon tank.

But SeaWorld denied the orca population housed at the new facility would not significantly increase. It also points out on its website that, except for rehabilitation, rescue or support for endangered species, it has not removed a whale or dolphin from the wild in almost three decades. SeaWorld Entertainment has seen declining revenues and slumping attendance at its Orlando and San Diego parks since the release of the film.

“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 prepared statement. The company has blamed competition from other theme parks for its overall drop in attendance of about 2 percent.

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.