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WDC2023-007 NMLC Release (16)

Seal Rescued in Marshfield Released Back Into The Wild

For Immediate Release, May 31, 2023 PLYMOUTH, MA - A young male grey seal that...

Norway ups whale kill numbers and removes whale welfare protections

The whaling season in Norway has begun on the back of disturbing announcements from the...
Image taken from an unmanned hexacopter at >100ft during a research collaboration between NOAA/SWFSC, SR3 and the Coastal Ocean Research Institute. Research authorized by NMFS permit #19091.

Southern Resident orca petition to list them under Oregon Endangered Species Act advanced

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted today to advance a petition seeking to protect...
Hysazu Photography

WDC and Conservation Partners Continue to Seek Oregon Endangered Species Protection for Southern Resident Orcas

On Friday, April 21st, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will determine whether the petition...

Whale watch boat sinks off Canada: five British passengers dead

A whale watching boat sank yesterday off the coast of British Columbia, western Canada, leaving at least 5 Britons dead.

The vessel, the Leviathan II, a 65-foot cruiser sank off Tofino, Vancouver Island, with 27 passengers aboard.  Twenty-one passengers have been rescued but one person is still missing.

First on the scene were members of the nearby Ahousat First Nation community, who saw flares and responded immediately, rescuing many stricken passengers.

The cause of the accident remains unclear. Coastguards have reported that sea conditions at the time were calm, however local fishermen in claim that those waters can, at times, become ‘like a washing machine’.

The Leviathan II is operated by whale watch company, Jamie’s Whaling Station and Adventure Centres.  Owner, Jamie Bray, issued a statement expressing the company’s deep sorrow at the accident. “It has been a tragic day. Our entire team is heartbroken over this incident. We are doing everything we can to assist our passengers and staff through this difficult time. We are cooperating with investigators to determine exactly what happened.”

In  March1998, a vessel owned by the same whale watch company capsized in the same area, Plover Reefs, killing the captain and a German tourist.

WDC extends sincere condolences to all those involved in, or affected by, this tragic incident.