In May of 2014, following the release of Blackfish, 38 congressmen signed a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack citing regulations protecting orcas and claiming that current laws do not reflect “updated science.” Two representatives of the representatives, from California, say our regulations regarding sea mammals in captivity should be informed by “sound modern science,” but, the USDA hasn’t acted in nearly 2 decades, putting the animals and humans in danger. Also, in September of 2016, California became the first state to ban breeding killer whales and the use of them for entertainment purposes. Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill, which goes into effect in 2017. With this new law, orcas in captivity can remain but only for “educational purposes.” The law also encourages releasing the animals back to the wild, if possible, but SeaWorld San Diego plans to retain the 11 orcas currently in their care.
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