SeaWorld Sues California Coastal Commission Over Orca Breeding Ban

SeaWorld Entertainment filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the California Coastal Commission’s recent decision that would require the company to stop breeding killer whales as a condition of expanding their habitat at its San Diego theme park.

The commission endorsed a $100m expansion of the tanks known as “Blue World” that SeaWorld uses to hold orcas.

In addition to banning any captive breeding, the ruling also prohibits the purchase, sale, or trade of whales at the facility.

FILE – In this November 30, 2006, file photo, people watch through glass as a killer whale swims by in a display tank at SeaWorld in San Diego.

“By imposing broad new jurisdiction over all future SeaWorld marine animal projects, as well as aquarium projects elsewhere in the state, the Commission has overstepped both federal and California law”, said Joel Manby, SeaWorld president and chief executive officer, in a statement in October. “The orcas are not, in any way, part of the coastal or marine environment”, according to the lawsuit.

“The California Coastal Commission was right to ban orca breeding as a condition of SeaWorld San Diego’s expansion and acted fully within its authority as protector of all resources within the coastal zone”, the statement from PETA says in part.

A spokeswoman for the Coastal Commission said the state panel had yet to read the lawsuit and, thus, could not comment.

“The condition forces SeaWorld to either agree to the eventual demise of its lawful and federally-regulated orca exhibition, or withdraw the permit application and forego the effort to enhance the orcas’ habitat, improve the opportunities for scientific research, and enrich the visitor experience”, the lawsuit continues.

Critics who attended October’s seven-hour hearing questioned SeaWorld’s treatment of animals in captivity and demanded the park’s 11 orcas be released into the wild.

In its lawsuit, SeaWorld characterised the hearing as one that became “unhinged”.

The complaint asks the Superior Court judge to either order the the restrictions be removed or order a new hearing of the development proposal, called “Blue World”, without the restrictions on breeding and transfer, and for the cost of SeaWorld’s attorney fees. SeaWorld officials vowed to sue to challenge the decision, saying the no-breeding clause would ultimately put an end to the park’s most popular exhibit, the killer whale show.