Dolphins and whales will no longer be kept in Canadian aquariums after the government passed a bill that prohibits their captivity. The bill, names S-203, was first proposed in 2015, and it has now finally been passed after three years of intensive legislative battles. With the bill in effect, Canada has taken yet another step forward for environmental responsibility.
The best part about this bill is that there was support for it across many political parties. This means that environmental issues are not subject to party politics in Canada, and everyone understands the importance of taking care of our precious environment. Environmental issues that we all should care about, as we all share planet Earth.
Bill S-203 bans the breeding of dolphins and whales in captivity, and it also amends the current criminal code to include doing this as a crime. Canadian marine parks such as marine land can still keep the current cetaceans that are under their care, but they cannot breed a new generation or capture more in the wild. The bill also prohibits much more such as importing cetacean sperm. The end goal is to phase out the practice of keeping dolphins and whales in captivity, and the government wants to discourage any further such practices.
Many activists are still lobbying for the transfer of the remaining 55 cetaceans in captivity in Marineland to an open-water sanctuary. With releases of detailed and shocking documentaries like Black Fish, people are becoming more and more conscious of how their activities affect the environment. Lobbying for changes on the government level is one of the key tools for changing the way that things are done. With an official law in place, more people and organizations will be pressured to follow suit.
Another bill was also passed in Canada, bill S-238, which bans the import of shark's fins. Thanks to the combined effort of many political parties in Canada, Cetaceans can be at peace knowing that they will no longer end up in an aquarium for the viewing pleasure of humans.
Comments