Last fall, a coalition of organizations succeeded in defending in court a decision by the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to deny the importation of 18 beluga whales caught in the wild in Russia. The Georgia Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium, and the three SeaWorld parks had initially pushed for the importation (SeaWorld later withdrew from the plan). In any event, the import, the first proposed import of wild cetaceans for US aquariums since the 1990’s, was denied, and federal court upheld the denial.
The International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) was joined in that lawsuit by the Animal Welfare Institute, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and Cetacean Society International.
But while that one import had been defeated, there is still the prospect that other imports of beluga whales from Russia could be proposed in the future.
Led by Dr. Naomi Rose of the Animal Welfare Institute, IMMP, WDC and CSI joined in a petition to NMFS proposing designation of the Sakhalin Bay-Amur River population of beluga whales in Russia as depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). A depleted designation would make it illegal to import any belugas from this population into the United States for public display, for as long as the population remains depleted.
A successful designation of depleted would also put Russia and other countries on notice that serious problems with the depleted beluga population calls for action on their part to protect the belugas.
In April, NMFS accepted the petition and posted the listing for public comment. After the comment period, a final decision will be made by NMFS regarding the status of the beluga population.
The beluga whale population in the Pacific is facing a number of threats, including pollution, killing by local native groups, and, in the not too distant future, the disruptions caused by global warming. Catching beluga whales for a shortened life in captivity should not continue for these vulnerable populations.
Photo credit Mike Johnston.