The non-profit group planning a whale sanctuary in Wine Harbour, N.S., held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday to mark the beginning of what’s promised to be a haven for whales retired from marine theme parks.
It’s illegal to keep cetaceans in captivity for human entertainment in more than a dozen countries, including Canada, and it’s hoped some of those animals will find refuge in this sanctuary instead.
“I see a whale jumping, chasing a bird across the surface,” said Charles Vinick, CEO of the U.S.-based Whale Sanctuary Project.
“Now is the time to do this for whales and dolphins, and we need proof of concept, which this will be, and more around the world to do the same.”
The project has taken six years to get to this point, and the plan is to build a 40-hectare floating net enclosure.
The initial plan called for the installation of nets before the end of summer, but it likely won’t happen until next spring, says Vinick.
In October of last year, Premier Tim Houston’s cabinet approved a 20-year Crown lease for the project.
The sanctuary hasn’t rescued any whales yet, although it has tried. Earlier this year, the French government rejected its bid to take two orcas from Marineland of Antibes. As well, 30 belugas and four dolphins from the shuttered Marineland in Niagara Falls are going to aquariums in the U.S. and Spain instead.
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Marineland has said it has environmental concerns about contaminants at the Nova Scotia site from past gold mining activities.
Vinick insists the sanctuary’s studies show the area is safe.
“We’ve tried to meet every complaint that they have by being transparent,” he said.
But there are also detractors and concerns from area residents.
“It does not seem realistic or sustainable and our concern is that it’s going to land on the taxpayers,” said Tracy Burns-Gagnon
Burns-Gagnon and other landowners of property bordering the bay also argue they were deceived. They say they were promised the project would not win cabinet approval unless everyone with adjacent properties provided unanimous consent.
“Department of Natural Resources required unanimous consent from landowners,” said Burns-Gagnon. “And we were approached to forfeit our ocean access for 20-plus years.”
She says that despite saying no to the request, the provincial government gave approval anyway.
“There are so many red flags, so many mixed messages,” she said.
Fellow resident Maureen Fraser said while the neighbours “are not against whales,” they do question why this bay was chosen.
“This is a U.S.-based organization,” said Fraser. “There are hundreds of kilometres of coastline in the U.S., why aren’t they there?”
Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson has also questioned whether the project will have sufficient long-term funding.
The project still requires permits from the federal Fisheries Department and fundraising to cover the $15-million cost of construction and $1.5 million in annual operating expenses.
Meanwhile, Vinick is undeterred and says the facility built in the bay will have 24-hour staff and marine medical care. A tender is out for the construction of the net pen.
“Unfortunately, you can’t please all the people all the time,” he said.
And the whales, Vinick promises, will come.
— with a file from The Canadian Press
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