Former Seaworld trainer responds to the Blackfish "documentary"

[DaveMorris]

Check this out. A little reality check into the way this "documentary" distorts the truth to push an agenda.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/former-seaworld-killer-whale-trainer-responds-to-movie-blackfish

[bladedrummer]

It's a tough subject and we're heavily emotionally invested in it, I don't know that I would be the best person for an unbiased opinion. I've been struggling with the issue myself and haven't come up with a definitive answer. Recently I was in Boston and I visited the New England Aquarium for the millionth time. While there, one of the researchers/employees told me how every year they plan trips down in the Caribbeans and go catch new specimens. I don't really know how I feel about that. On one side it's great to have an aquarium, on the other, if everyone did what they do that would possibly not be good for the environment.

It's a very tough subject.

[jasonp87]

Good read. You have to take all these views with a grain of salt. I am all for the research, care and rehabilitation that these places do behind the scenes. And do you know what helps make that possible? Ticket sales at the parks. Yes, there are a lot of donations but I bet groups like SeaWorld and major aquariums couldn't do half what they do without the money from the parks. The parks also help raise awareness of what is out there and what needs to be done. Many parks (and zoos) also assist with breeding programs to bring back species that otherwise would be extinct. I'm not familiar with the SD zoo yet but back in Colorado Springs the Cheyenne Mtn zoo assisted with the breeding and release of black footed ferrets. They are the only ones keeping the species alive in the wild.

Maybe parks need to reduce the number of animals they have in captivity or at least the mammals. Mammals seem to have a harder time with it than fish (other than some sharks) and invertebrates. I guess there really is no right answer and a compromise needs to be found between both sides.

[Livinlocal]

It's a very touchy subject. My natural thought is that it's not right to keep whales in captivity especially because they are migratory mammals, but at the same time; sea world does a huge part in conservation and most likely all of their whales are captive bred or rescues that wouldn't survive in the wild. The idea of a open ocean pen is rediculous. In my opinion; anyone pushing this has no idea about what a whale/fish needs and is just another bandwagon advocate; especially here is San Diego.

[DaveMorris]

While there, one of the researchers/employees told me how every year they plan trips down in the Caribbeans and go catch new specimens. I don't really know how I feel about that. On one side it's great to have an aquarium, on the other, if everyone did what they do that would possibly not be good for the environment.

Do you have any fish in your aquarium? Or coral? How do you think they got there?

[bladedrummer]

Do you have any fish in your aquarium? Or coral? How do you think they got there?
Quoting myself:
"On one side it's great to have an aquarium, on the other, if everyone did what they do that would possibly not be good for the environment."
"I don't know that I would be the best person for an unbiased opinion. I've been struggling with the issue myself and haven't come up with a definitive answer."

Adding:

I bought ORA and tank bred as much as I could, in fact, I think all my fish and coral were. Which doesn't mean the issue doesn't still stand. As I mentioned, I'm still making my mind up on whether I think it's ok or not. The main reason why that story weirded me out is because it means that they lose a lot of specimens if they need that much new stuff every year. In a year and a half, I lost 2 chromis.

[ford4life]

Wow that was an amazing video.

[Bogg]

Black fish changed my whole shamu outlook
But when would I ever be able to go see a killer whale local?
It's touchy because I keep fish and coral for my own well being

[Funkateer_1]

I don't think you can compare a highly intelligent killer whale to something like a coral or fish. Our industry for the most part is well-regulated and due to captive propagation it's getting better.

I've seen Blackfish and it tore me up. I know there are two sides to every story and Blackfish may have been a little over dramatic in certain parts, but there is absolutely no excuse for keeping such amazing and intelligent animals in captivity.

[evansimp]

I used to work for Seaworld when the film came out. Seaworld was quick to respond to all the false "facts" and proved a lot of them wrong with concrete evidence. Seaworld responded right away to all of this and was not shy to back down.

In my personal experience with Seaworld, all the trainers love the animals and the animals seem to love the trainers. In the dolphin point area, they have 3 generations of dolphins living together. They acquired one dolphin and it had a baby at Seaworld, then that baby had a baby at Seaworld and now they are all together.

There are 2 sides to every story and obviously it's sad to see these huge animals in small exhibits. But Seaworld saves thousands of animals a year. Just in the first 6 months of last year they rescued over 400 injured sea lions and released them back into the wild once healed.

Anyways, just my 2 cents.


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[Livinlocal]

I don know how many of you know this, but they actually banned the keeping of dolphins in India for any reason at all. Not even public aquariums or anything can house them because the
Y deemed the dolphins as "non human persons"

[XO PRESENTS]

I have been folllwing this story very closely, I personally think that some people need to get a life and stop crying. The SeaWorld company spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to do research on these animals each and every year. They even started a breeding program that has been successful. SeaWord has not collected a Killer Whale for decades now, but like our hobby it is still a question with ethics. Even if I didn't support the hobby I wouldn't make a big deal about it. Thank goodness the marine trading industry is not getting blow up like SeaWorld.

[AFUreef]

I have been folllwing this story very closely, I personally think that some people need to get a life and stop crying. The SeaWorld company spends hundreds of thousands of dollors to do research on these animals each and every year. They even started a breeding program that has been successful. Seaword has not collected a Killer Whale for decades now but unlike our hobby it is still a question with ethics. Even if I didn't support the hobby I wouldnt make a big deal about it. Thank goodness the marine trading industry is not getting blow up like SeaWorld.
Well said Ron!!!

[DaveMorris]

Not to dredge this up again...but to dredge this up again, I found this extremely interesting link from a thread on ReefCentral:


http://www.mynews13.com/content/dam/news/static/cfnews13/documents/2014/04/seaworld-blackfish-69-reasons-040714.pdf

Completely exposes the complete crap that Blackfish is. Its a good read if you have a few minutes and any interest in the truth.

[MustangBill]

I find it amazing on how many people jumped on the black fish band wagon based solely on that film, I'm even surprised that the SD airport allowed a sign/billboard/display to be placed in their airport basically boycotting Seaworld. If I was Sea world I would sue. But anyway with out places like zoos, aquariums and Sea world the public would be completely ignorant to these animals and how they live and behave. It's like that saying "I got it from the internet so it must be true" analogy. Those were some very interesting facts Dave. Thanks for posting that. :)

[DaveMorris]

The airport did reject the anti-SeaWorld ad and the nut jobs at PETA and the ACLU sued over it under the claim that it was a free speech issue. There was a settlement and the ad was allowed to go up for 30 days.

[Brian_reefragr]

The reason there is anything at the airport is because a law suit was filed over freedom of speech and forced the hand of airport officials. Like Ron said no whales have been collected for about 40 years. I also agree that "people need to get a life and stop crying." Blackfish was a one sided emotional creation and portrayed so that it could play on peoples' emotions and get them to jump on a bandwagon. A lot has changed since the 60s & 70s and people are far to eager to buy into what they see or read like everything presented is always factual without educating themselves before regurgitating what they just saw/read. I'm surprised there haven't been more b.s. movies about military operations to turn people against the very people that protect them and allow for freedoms. Just my :2cents: