10/23/26 - CWI Renews Support for the SWIMS Act
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CompassionWorks International has renewed its endorsement of the Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings (SWIMS) Act, H.R. 10774, introduced by Representative Suzan DelBene on October 9, 2026. The legislation would prohibit permits to capture or import orcas, belugas, false killer whales and pilot whales for public display, and prohibit breeding or artificial insemination to produce offspring for that purpose. It would also restrict exports, allowing exceptions for release to the wild or qualifying sanctuary transfers. As of October 23, the bill remains before House committees; it has not become law.
CWI has supported this effort since 2022 and endorsed the 2024 version before renewing our support this September. Our position remains clear: protecting whales means ending the practices that supply another generation for public display, alongside securing humane care and credible retirement options for animals already in captivity.
That goal is directly relevant to the belugas transferred from Marineland Canada. In July, the Animal Welfare Institute reported that NOAA’s agreement with receiving U.S. aquariums contained no commitment to prevent breeding. CWI supports the proposed federal prohibition and continues to call for voluntary, permanent no-breeding commitments for the Marineland whales, regardless of the bill’s outcome. Their future should center on their well-being, without creating more whales for a lifetime of confinement.
