Support The Moscow Times!

Russian ‘Whale Jail’ Company Slapped With $900K Fine Over Orca Captures

Yuri Smityuk / TASS

A court in Russia’s Far East has fined a company nearly $900,000 for its role in the so-called “whale prison” that has garnered international outrage in recent months.

Nearly 100 whales reportedly bound for export to China have been held for months in cramped pens near the Sea of Japan port of Nakhodka, triggering a wave of criticism. Russian officials in April signed an agreement with a group of international scientists to release the orcas and belugas.

The Oceanarium DV company has been ordered to pay 56 million rubles ($869,000) for violating fishing laws in its capture of three orcas, Interfax reported Friday.

The Frunzensky District Court in Vladivostok has also fined the “White Whale” company 30 million rubles ($466,000) for violating fishing laws during its capture of the orcas and beluga whales.

The other two companies involved in the whales’ capture are set to be sentenced by the same court, Interfax reported.

Oceanarium DV, which didn’t plead guilty during the court hearing, will be able to appeal the ruling.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) has also brought charges against the companies for breaking fishing laws.

While the companies have been ordered to release the whales, activists have said that the whales are not yet being rehabilitated for release into the wild and have spotted school excursions to the whales’ enclosures.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more