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Canada Passes 'Free Willy' Bill Banning Whale And Dolphin Captivity

(CNN/CBS4) -- Canada's House of Commons passed a bill Monday to make it illegal to hold a whale, dolphin or porpoise captive, punishable by fines up to $150,000 USD. It's known colloquially as the "Free Willy" bill, named after the 1993 movie in which a young boy frees a killer whale from a US amusement park.

Killer Whale Kasatka Gives Birth At SeaWorld San Diego
SAN DIEGO, CA - FEBRUARY 14: In this handout photo provided by SeaWorld San Diego, mom and baby killer whale swim together at SeaWorld San Diego's Shamu Stadium February 14, 2013 in San Diego, California. Kasatka, a killer whale who is approximately 37 years old, gave birth to the calf this morning at 6:33 a.m. under the watchful eyes of SeaWorld's zoological team. The calf is estimated to weigh between 300 and 350 pounds and measure 6 to 7 feet. The gender of the calf is not yet known. As with any killer whale birth, the mother and calf will be observed round the clock for the first few days. (Photo by Mike Aguilera/SeaWorld San Diego via Getty Images)

"Nothing fantastic ever happens in a hurry. But today we celebrate that we have ended the captivity and breeding of whales and dolphins. This is news to splash a fin at," animal rights group Humane Canada said in a tweet.

The bill is expected to become law. It was introduced in the Senate in December 2015 and was already approved there but must return now and gain "royal assent."

The Green Party of Canada celebrated in a statement Monday. "These intelligent, social mammals will now get to live where they belong -- in the ocean," the party said.

Dolphin Calf Born At SeaWorld San Diego
SAN DIEGO, CA - NOBEMBER 12: In this handout photo provided by SeaWorld San Diego, a bottlenose dolphin was born at SeaWorld San Diego at 12:33 p.m. in a behind-the-scenes pool November 12, 2013 in San Diego, California. Shown in the picture are the mother (Kolohe, below), the newborn dolphin calf, and another female dolphin above the baby (Daphne, a 14-year-old female). Kolohe (pronounced ka-LO-hay), who is a Pacific bottlenose dolphin, has given birth to one other calf. SeaWorld animal care specialists and veterinarians report that the mother and calf are doing well, swimming together and bonding. As with any birth at SeaWorld, they will be monitored round the clock. (Photo by Mike Aguilera/SeaWorld San Diego via Getty Images)

The bill makes exceptions if the animals are rescues, in rehabilitation or licensed for scientific research, or when it's in the animal's best interests.

Dozens of supporters of the bill used the hashtag #emptythetanks to celebrate on social media.

According to a National Geographic report published in March, there are currently 59 orcas in captivity at sea parks and aquariums throughout the world.

"A third of the world's captive orcas are in the United States, and all but one of those live at SeaWorld's three parks in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio. Lolita, a 54-year-old orca who was captured in 1970 in the waters off Washington State, lives alone at the Miami Seaquarium, in a pool with an open-top roof that's less than twice the length of her body," the report states.

SeaWorld parks have phased out orca shows but still offer daily dolphin shows.

According to the SeaWorld website, the underwater viewing area at the park in Orlando is currently home to a small group of rescued pilot whales.

 

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. CNN contributed to this report.)

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