Canada's federal Fisheries Ministry announced this week that all beluga whales at Marineland will be transferred to Spain or one of four U.S. locations, marking the end of whale captivity in Canada.
The agreement follows months of dispute between the federal government and Marineland—a marine park that closed to visitors in 2024. Earlier, Marineland threatened to destroy its beluga herd in 2025 after Canada's Fisheries Minister blocked a sale to China.
Under the plan, the Oceanogràfic València aquarium in Spain—one of Europe's largest—will receive some of the whales. A group of U.S. aquariums in Georgia, Chicago, San Diego, and San Antonio has also agreed to take the remainder. However, a spokesperson for the group said there is no specific timeline and the relocation process could take weeks.
Animal rights groups call this 'the least bad solution' for the whales. 'For years, these animals have lived in deteriorating tanks while Ontario's animal welfare agency took no meaningful action,' said Kaitlyn Mitchell, a lawyer with Animal Justice. She urged Canada to 'prioritize sending as many animals as possible to sanctuaries.'
The decision deals a blow to a controversial Nova Scotia sanctuary that had proposed becoming the new home for the herd. That sanctuary also offered to take two killer whales in France, but authorities later decided to send them to a Spanish zoo.
Before the whales are transported, Canadian veterinarians will examine each one to ensure their health. The federal government will only issue export permits if the relocation benefits the whales and will grant them 'close to transport time, after final animal health checks.'
Animal Justice expressed 'deep concern' that the herd may not be healthy enough to move. Mitchell stressed: 'Independent experts must assess these animals before transfer to ensure they do not have pre-existing diseases—as happened when Marineland sent whales to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. Three of those five beluga whales died.'
