Seaworld could face a potential shutdown after California congressman Adam Schiff put forth legislation Friday that would prohobit the breeding of captive orcas and ban wild capture for the purposes of public display.
KABC reported that Schiff said in a statment "It would mean no more wild capture, no more breeding. We would essentially phase out the captive orcas that are currently in these water parks," taking aim at Seaworld which has been under instense scrutiny ever since the release of the popular documentary Blackfish.
The film criticized Seaworld's practices and treatment of killer whales. In a statement of their own, Seaworld said "While efforts to phase out whales in human care may strike an emotional chord, SeaWorld and other science-based organizations are part of the solution, not the problem," CNBC reported.
The statement also said that the whales currently housed at SeaWorld were "healthy and thriving" and that the work of rescuers and conservationists helped in "scientific understanding of orcas and other marine mammals." They also called themselves a "leader" in the preservation of orcas.
The legislation entitled The Orca Responsibility and Care Advancement Act (ORCA) will essentially phase out captive orca's in parks like Seaworld over the next 50 years and is supported by organization such as the Animal Welfare Institute, the Human Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The legislation argues that orca's in captivity live shorter life spans, live in unfit conditions and display deviant behavior.
Seaworld's profits have plummeted since the Blackfish release but they say they have not captured an orca in the wild in 35 years and do not intend to do so.