Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Famed California Aquarium Sued by Lobster Industry Over Seafood List
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 2 years ago on
March 14, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A coalition representing the Maine lobster industry is suing the Monterey Bay Aquarium for recommending that seafood customers avoid buying a variety of lobster mostly harvested in their state.

Industry groups including Maine Lobstermen’s Association argue in a lawsuit filed Monday that their prized catch shouldn’t be on a “red list” published by Seafood Watch, a conservation program it operates.

Last year, Seafood Watch put lobster from the U.S. and Canada on its list of seafood to avoid due to the threat posed to rare whales by entanglement in fishing gear used to harvest American lobster, the species that makes up most of the U.S. lobster market.

Endangered North American right whales number only about 340 and they’ve declined in recent years.

But the lobster industry is arguing to the U.S. District Court in Maine that the aquarium’s recommendation relies on bad science and incorrectly portrays lobster fishing as a threat to the whales. The lawsuit asks the court to force the aquarium to remove “defamatory statements” from its website and materials, court records state.

“This is a significant lawsuit that will help eradicate the damage done by folks who have no clue about the care taken by lobstermen to protect the ecosystem and the ocean,” said John Petersdorf, chief executive officer of Bean Maine Lobster Inc., one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, in a statement.

The aquarium says its recommendations are correct based on the best available evidence. It says right whales are indeed vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear.

The lawsuit ignores “the extensive evidence that these fisheries pose a serious risk to the survival of the endangered North Atlantic right whale, and they seek to curtail the First Amendment rights of a beloved institution that educates the public about the importance of a healthy ocean,” said Kevin Connor, a spokesperson for the aquarium.

Another group, Marine Stewardship Council, last year suspended a sustainability certification it awarded Maine’s lobster industry over concerns about harm to whales. The loss of sustainability recommendations has caused some retailers to stop selling lobster.

The U.S. lobster industry is based mostly in Maine. The industry brought about 98 million pounds of lobster to the docks last year. That was less than the previous year, but historically a fairly high number.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

New CA Bill Would Streamline Solar Conversion for Dry Farmland

Were Cuts in Rooftop Solar Payments Legal? CA Supreme Court Hears Arguments

3 hours ago

Did That Clint Eastwood Interview Happen? Yes, Kind Of.

3 hours ago

Fresno Police Want Your Tips to Solve Taylor Washington Homicide

Fresno police detectives want the community’s help to solve the shooting death of 24-year-old Taylor Washington on April 10. When offi...

52 minutes ago

52 minutes ago

Fresno Police Want Your Tips to Solve Taylor Washington Homicide

2 hours ago

Derek Carr Explains Mysterious Retirement. He Didn’t Want to ‘Just Take the Saints’ Money’

2 hours ago

What Do Valley Leaders Say About Trump’s Threat to Yank High-Speed Rail Funding?

3 hours ago

Were Cuts in Rooftop Solar Payments Legal? CA Supreme Court Hears Arguments

3 hours ago

Did That Clint Eastwood Interview Happen? Yes, Kind Of.

3 hours ago

Biden’s IRS Doubled Audits on the Wealthy, Data Shows

4 hours ago

Millions Would Lose Their Obamacare Coverage Under Trump’s Bill

4 hours ago

New CA Bill Would Streamline Solar Conversion for Dry Farmland

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend