Stricter government regulations surrounding Beluga whale tours are being contested by residents of Churchill who rely heavily on the business.
The new regulations limit how close boats, snorkelers and kayakers can get to the belugas which the Churchill Beluga Whale Tour Operator Association (CBWTOA) believe could shutter businesses in a struggling city.
Whale tourism is a strong industry in the town of Churchill, which has seen a tough year since the rail line broke.
The regulations brought in by the Department of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard limits interactions to at least 50 metres away, or in some cases 100 metres.
“We are very troubled that the Minister and his department put in place regulations affecting our businesses and our customers without any consultation with us.” said CBWTOA President Wally Daudrich.
“Worst of all, the Minister and his department brought these regulations into effect, without any prior notice, at the peak of our Beluga whale tour season serving guests who made reservations a year in advance.”
The new rules were brought in by the federal government to better protect the population of beluga whales and address the killer whale tours operating on the West Coast.
However, the CBWTOA believes the government is targeting tour operators instead of hunters – who target the whales for their blubber.
CBWTOA said the new regulations will cause more harm and are a “one size fits all” approach to a broad ranging problem.
Daudrich said that plans that operators have had installed for months could go to waste as a result of the new regulations.
“The tour operators have made significant outlays of planning, recruiting and training staff, purchasing capital equipment and bringing in supplies to serve these guests, well in advance of the season," explained Daudrich.”
The financial blow is one the community can’t afford at this time.
“These regulations are putting at risk some 200 jobs as well as up to $10 million of economic activity in Churchill.” said Daudrich. “With a rail link washed out more than a year ago and a port that is now shuttered, Churchill, Manitoba, can ill afford to lose these jobs and commercial activity."
