IMMP Demands No Breeding of Any Captive Belugas from Canada

By Mark J. Palmer

Thirty beluga whales are stranded in tanks in the closed park, Marineland, in Ontario, Canada. The latest rumors are that the belugas will not be moved to a seaside sanctuary, as the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute and many other individuals and organizations have advocated, but instead the belugas will be sent to four marine parks in the US (SeaWorld Orlando and San Diego; the Georgia Aquarium; and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago) and one in Spain (Oceanogràfic València).

It is not clear that the beluga whales are are healthy enough to handle long air transport and the stress of being in put in concrete tanks with other cetaceans. IMMP and our colleague organizations have been calling for outside expert veterinarians to assess the health of the belugas.

It is also not clear that, if the belugas go to US parks, they will be protected from forced breeding to produce new captive animals for exploitation.

In response, IMMP sent the following letter to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) demanding that the Service ensure no breeding in captivity for these belugas and an independent health assessment. Copies have been sent to the US aquariums that are expected to import the belugas, according to media reports.

INTERNATIONAL MARINE MAMMAL PROJECT

June 29, 2026

Mr. Neil Jacobs
Administrator
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 5128
Washington, DC 20230

Mr. Samuel D. Rauch III
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910

RE: NMFS Must Ban Breeding for any Captive Beluga Whales from Marineland Canada Imported to the US and Require Independent Veterinarians to Assess These Belugas Before Transfer.

Dear Administrator Jacobs and Assistant Administrator Rauch:

The International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute is concerned for the health and welfare of thirty captive beluga whales, currently held at the Marineland park in Ontario, Canada.

As you know, press reports indicate that many of these beluga whales will be moved from Canada to parks in the US, including two SeaWorld parks (Orlando and San Diego), the Georgia Aquarium, and the Shedd Aquarium, as well as an aquarium in Spain. (See, for example, the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/04/canada-marineland-beluga-whale-deal).

We strongly believe that

• The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in keeping with past decisions, should ban the breeding of these belugas in captivity once transferred to US parks.
• NMFS must ensure outside, independent veterinarians assess the health of the beluga whales before any transfers, and these health assessments should be made public.
• NMFS must follow the standard practice of issuing permits that are available for public review of any transfers.

It is simply unacceptable for the captivity industry in the US to take advantage of these desperate animals by trying to breed them to produce more beluga whales for captivity.

Breeding of this species in captivity is very difficult, under the best of circumstances. And they die an early death in captivity. This particular group of belugas has been badly traumatized. As you know, three belugas from Marineland died in 2021, 2022, and 2023 in Mystic Aquarium, after the import of five belugas in 2021.

We believe it is especially critical for outside veterinarian experts to assess the health of the belugas before they are moved to any US aquariums. In that, as noted, three imported belugas from the Marineland facility died shortly after transfer to Mystic Aquarium, suggesting underlying health issues that Marineland either ignored or failed to thoroughly assess. Any such health assessments must be made public.

The suggestion that the belugas should come into the US under an “emergency” permit is simply unacceptable. What is the “emergency”? These animals have been in captivity in Canada for years. Marineland, Ontario, closed in September 2024, which is plenty of time for the permit process to go forward. Threats by Marineland should not be considered a substitute for the import provisions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

In conclusion, we believe NMFS should ban breeding of these captive belugas to avoid harm to the imported belugas and to prevent future problems with captive offspring from this population, which has proven so problematic.

Thank you for your consideration of our recommendation that NMFS ban the breeding of these belugas in captivity.

Sincerely,


David Phillips
Director
International Marine Mammal Project
Earth Island Institute

Cc:

Marc G. Swanson, CEO

United Parks & Resorts (SeaWorld)

Dr. Bridget Coughlin, CEO

Shedd Aquarium

Travis Burke, CEO

Georgia Aquarium