[4animals] Press Release - Canadian Seafood Boycott Comes To A Boil Over Impending Seal Hunt

[vaalea]

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 



  CANADIAN SEAFOOD BOYCOTT COMES TO A BOIL OVER IMPENDING SEAL HUNT



  Close to 50 More Restaurants Sign Pledge to Protect Seals



  WASHINGTON (March 23, 2006) - The Humane Society of the United States announced today another outpouring of support for their boycott of Canadian seafood which is designed to put a stop to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of baby seals due to begin this week in Canada. Close to 50 more restaurants, including the Willard Hotel in Washington DC and three from Ontario, Canada, are pledging to boycott snow crabs and other seafood products from Canada until the hunt ends for good. 



  "With the hunt due to begin any time, this is welcome news for the seals," said Pat Ragan, director of The HSUS Protect Seals campaign. "The Humane Society of the United States has noted that Canadian snow crab exports to the United States have dropped by over $150 million-nearly 10 times the value of the seal hunt and a 36 percent drop since the seafood boycott began. The Canadian government and the fishing industry need to decide whether maintaining a seal hunt is worth the cost to the country."  



  Sealing is an off-season activity conducted by commercial fishermen from Canada's East Coast. Even in Newfoundland, where more than 90 percent of the sealers live, sealing income accounts for less than 1 percent of that province's gross domestic product and only 2 percent of the landed value of Newfoundland's fishery. More than two-thirds of Canadian seafood is exported to the United States, producing $2.8 billion annually for the Canadian economy and making the industry a viable target for a boycott. 



  Other companies that have signed on to the boycott include Legal Sea Foods, Down East Seafood, Whole Foods Markets, Wild Oats Market, The Plitt Company, The Miami Crab Company, Palomino Foods and Monterey Fish Market. In addition, celebrity chefs such as Sandra Lee, Rocco Dispirito, and Canadian chef Jamie Kennedy have all signed the pledge.



  A complete list of new signatories follows. An updated list of all companies supporting the Protect Seals boycott of Canadian seafood is available at www.RestaurantsForSeals.org. For more information on The HSUS seal campaign, please visit www.ProtectSeals.org.



  The HSUS Protect Seals team is currently in Canada preparing to document this year's seal hunt. 



  CONTACT: Tracey McIntire, 301-548-7793, tmcintire at hsus.org



  Restaurants recently signing the boycott pledge:



  CANADA



  Atmosphere Café & Etc.                                              Ontario

  Bin 23 Restaurant                                                         Ontario

  The Cornerstone                                                           Ontario



  UNITED STATES



  Ardeo Restaurant                                                         Washington, DC

  Bonsai Restaurant                                                         Arlington, VA

  Brasserie Monte Carlo                                                  MD

  Catering Creations                                                        Omaha, NE

  Cesco Trattoria                                                            Bethesda, MD

  Delmonico's Lobster House                                          Beverly Hills and Encino, CA

  El Coyote Café                                                             LA, CA

  Farallon Restaurant                                                       SF, CA

  Fiddlers Bistro                                                              LA, CA

  Gino's Restaurant                                                         Bronxville, NY

  Jackie's Restaurant                                                       Silver Spring, MD

  Jimmy's Fish and Grill                                                   Long Beach, CA

  MacCullum House Rest. & Grey Whale Bar Café         Mendocino, CA

  Mama Voula's                                                              Santa Monica, CA

  Marcel Cocite                                                              Venice, CA      

  Mark and Orlando's Restaurant                                    Washington, DC

  McFoster's Natural Kind Café                                     Omaha, NE

  Mezzaluna                                                                    Scarsdale, NY

  Mi Piace Italian Restaurant and Bakery Lounge             Pasadena, CA

  Mirabelle Restaurant                                                     West Hollywood, CA

  Off Vine                                                                       Hollywood, CA

  Pesce Restaurant                                                          Washington, DC

  PGA Tour Grill                                                             Rockville, MD

  Puran's                                                                         LA, CA

  Ray's Key West Grill                                                    Lake Worth, FL

  Rotelli                                                                           Wellington, FL

  Rustico Italiano Restaurant                                            Lake Worth, FL

  Sagebrush Cantina                                                        Calabasas, CA

  Sonora Café                                                                 LA, CA

  Suriyo Thai Bistro                                                         LA, CA

  The Bottle Inn Ristorante                                              Hermosa Beach, CA

  The Manor Hotel                                                          Hollywood, CA

  The Sisters of Bubik Coffee Café & Bagelry                 Pasadena, CA

  The Waterfront Restaurant                                            SF, CA

  Thierry Ruaux                                                               Long Beach, CA

  Traxx Restaurant                                                          LA, CA

  Treehouse Sports Bar & Grille                                      Simi Valley, CA 

  Ulysses Voyage Greek Cuisine                                     LA, CA

  Urth Caffe                                                                    West Holllywood, CA 

  Urth Caffe                                                                    Beverly Hills, CA 

  Urth Caffe                                                                    Santa Monica, CA

  Urth Caffe                                                                    LA, CA

  Willard Intercontinental Hotel                                        Washington, DC



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  The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.





  The Humane Society of the United States 
   2100 L St., NW
  Washington, DC 20037
  www.hsus.org  
  Promoting the Protection of All Animals





Interested in taking action online to help animals? Then join our online community and sign up for our Humane Action Network. Go to www.hsus.org/join .
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