Animal Rights Activists to Protest SeaWorld's Proposal to Expand Orca Tanks

The commission that regulates land and water use along the California coast took up the issue of the $100 million expansion, which animal rights activists fear would pave the way for breeding more of the animals in captivity - something they say is cruel no matter the size of the tanks. SeaWorld acknowledged then that controversy over its whales after the 2013 anti-captivity documentary "Blackfish" had hurt attendance.

The plan drew heated opposition from animal rights groups who say the new tanks will lead to more captivity for orcas.

Under the expansion, SeaWorld would demolish portions of a 1995 facility that included a 1.7-million gallon pool and replace it with a 5.2-million gallon tank and 450,000-gallon pool.

SeaWorld insists, however, that its whales are neither stressed or depressed.

The company declined to answer questions Friday on the ruling but sent a statement from Joel Manby, SeaWorld's president and chief executive, saying: "Depriving these social animals of the natural and fundamental right to reproduce is inhumane and we do not support this condition".

"Nearly a half-billion guests to all our SeaWorld parks, and other marine parks around the world, have gotten the chance to experience killer whales firsthand, learn about them and come to appreciate them for the wonderful animals they truly are", Koontz said.

The debate over the future of the park's 11 whales has drawn so much attention that the Coastal Commission staff moved the meeting from Long Beach City Hall to the 400,000-square-foot Long Beach Convention Center to accommodate the crowds.

"We are disappointed with the conditions that the California Coastal Commission placed on their approval of the Blue World Project and will carefully review and consider our options", the company said in a statement, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The expansion includes orca-friendly pools 50 feet deep that contain spots where the killer whales can rub and scratch themselves. The facility cannot house any orcas, nor can it "utilize any genetic material from" orcas, taken from the wild after February 12, 2014.

The commission said it would not allow captive breeding. That means the facility would use a marine resource for the tanks and therefore the commission has a say over the animals living in them, she said.

"This enlarges and updates the killer whale tanks at SeaWorld San Diego", the commision's staff report said.

But Commissioner Dayna Bochco, who brought up the no-breeding amendment, said she agreed with scientists who believe that the killer whales are suffering in captivity.

The panel said it had received a few 200,000 emails and 50,000 postcards weighing in on the project.