It wasn’t the outcome she was hoping for.
Outgoing Vision park board commissioner Sarah Blyth’s motion to ban the breeding of cetaceans in captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium fell short November 24.
Blyth did not receive enough support from her colleagues to table the motion, which failed by a four-to-three vote. Vision commissioners Niki Sharma and Constance Barnes were the only other commissioners in favour of passing it.
“This democracy is not being served,” Blyth said in a frustrated tone.
The issue will now be looked at by the Non-Partisan Association-dominated board, scheduled to be sworn in December 1.
After months of public consultations with hundreds of residents, the bylaw received the green light in July when the five Vision commissioners unanimously favoured it. Incumbent NPA member John Coupar recused himself from the hearings because of business interests he had with the aquarium (which have since ceased). Melissa De Genova, also with the NPA, was away on holiday and unavailable to cast a ballot.
But according to Coupar, approving the bylaw right after an election didn’t seem “procedurally correct.”
“We get reports all the time. This is just one that received a lot of attention,” he said. “The new board will analyze all the information and go from there.”
For Blyth, going back to the drawing board is unnecessary.
“I think this is an issue that we’ve gone through, really having looked at everything,” she said. “It was a good compromise. I don’t think we need to continue to breed in our parks and contribute more whales into the pools down at SeaWorld.
“We spent a lot of time listening to the public and I feel the ban reflects the views of not only our residents, but also of scientists, [primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist] Jane Goodall, the Vancouver Humane Society and the B.C. SPCA.”
Setting up an oversight committee of animal experts, tasked with presenting a biannual report to the board on the status of the mammals, was also agreed upon in the summer.
The latter, along with recommendations for more consultations on the bylaw, did pass at November 24th’s meeting during a second vote.
Jeff Matthews of Sea Shepherd Vancouver, a conservation group in favour of the ban, was on hand livestreaming the event via cellphone.
When he saw the motion floundering, he admitted feelings of anger.
“We had three commissioners who believed the public consultations were done in good faith and that they came to a reasonable compromise, then we had a chair [Aaron Jasper] who thought it should be forwarded to the next board, which is nothing more than political theatre because they know the NPA will never look at it again.”
The NPA, specifically former mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe, has gone on record saying he supported the aquarium’s policies on cetaceans.
Matthews told the Courier people should keep in mind the aquarium is still forging ahead with plans to bring in more tanks.
“Once they put shovels in the ground, I don’t think there’s any stopping them. As Mr. Nightingale has said, we’ll see dolphins and whales at the aquarium for the next hundred years.”
John Nightingale, the aquarium’s CEO and president, has argued the breeding program is necessary for research and the survival of species on the brink of extinction.
The facility has two female belugas, two female Pacific white-sided dolphins and two harbour porpoises — Jack and Daisy, rescued one year apart as babies. In past interviews with the Courier, Nightingale said it would be impossible to stop the pair from breeding and separating them could cause them distress.
