The Humane Society of the United States is pleased to announce that more than 50 restaurants in Arizona have joined the ProtectSeals campaign to end Canada's annual seal hunt.
"The compassion and commitment shown by chefs all across Arizona is truly inspiring," said Pat Ragan, the ProtectSeals campaign director. "We're deeply grateful for their desire to help bring Canada's seal hunt to an end."
Arizona restaurants participating in the campaign include such favorites as Aiello's, Bistro Bella Terra, Cucina Rustica, Dahl & DiLuca's, El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano, Foster's Seafood, Jackson's Grill, Judi's Restaurant, L'Auberge, Red's at Sedona Rouge, René at Tlaquepaque and Savannah's.
They join more than 4,500 restaurants, grocery stores, casinos and seafood companies that are already participating in The HSUS ProtectSeals campaign including: Bon Appétit Management Company, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Cafés, Whole Foods Markets, Legal Sea Foods, Oceanaire Seafood Room, Trader Joe's, Consolidated Restaurants, Harris Teeter, BI-LO Supermarkets and Ted's Montana Grill.
"These seal pups are just babies. Some are only a couple of weeks old, they can't even swim to get away," said Deborah Leatherwood, owner of the award-winning Sedona restaurant, René at Tlaquepaque. Leatherwood has pledged that she will not buy any seafood from Canada until the seal hunt ends.
Also pledging not to purchase Canadian seafood until the commercial slaughter of baby seals stops for good, owner and executive chef of Aiello's Joe Aiello stated, "I am astounded that the Government of Canada allows such a brutal hunt to occur every year." The new Valley Italian restaurant Aiello's has won numerous accolades from locals and reviewers in Central Phoenix.
By encouraging restaurants, chefs and consumers to boycott Canadian seafood, The HSUS intends to convince Canada's fishing industry to stop participating in and supporting the commercial seal hunt. Since the launch of the ProtectSeals Campaign in 2005, the value of Canadian seafood exports to the United States has dropped dramatically.
Facts about Canada's Commercial Seal Hunt:
- Canada's commercial seal hunt is the world's largest slaughter of marine mammals, with nearly one million seals killed in the past five years.
- Restaurants, seafood distributors and grocers participating in the ProtectSeals campaign pledge to avoid Canadian snow crab, or all seafood from Eastern Canada, or seafood from all of Canada until the hunt ends for good. The HSUS has signed pledges from all boycott participants.
- Canada exports nearly two-thirds of its seafood to the U.S. producing $2.5 billion annually for the Canadian economy, compared to less than $8 million generated in 2008 by the commercial seal hunt.
- More than 95 percent of the seals killed each year in the commercial seal hunt are less than three months of age. The majority are about one month of age or less. Many have not yet eaten their first solid meal or learned to swim properly at the point they are killed.
- As a result of global warming, ice is thinning in the Canadian birthing grounds of the harp seal. In 2007, more than 90 percent of the seal pups died in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence due to melting ice. Despite this, Canada went on with the hunt.
- Since the ProtectSeals seafood boycott went into effect, the value of seafood industry exports from Canada to the United States has fallen dramatically.
Arizona restaurants joining the boycott:
Aiello's Fine Italian Dining
August Moon
Bandera
Bisbee Food Co-Op
Bisbee Grille
Bistro Bella Terra
Café Boa in Ahwatukee
Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurant
Casa Bonita (2 locations)
Central Avenue Bar and Grill
CeZar's Restaurant
China Garden
China Star Super Buffet
Cucina Rustica
Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante Italiano
Delhi Palace
El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano
Foster's Seafood
Frisco Street Grille
Grand Canyon Café
Himalayan Grill LLC
Houston's (2 locations)
Hunan West
India Palace (2 locations)
Jackson's Grill
Johnny's Uptown
Josephine's Restaurant
Judi's Restaurant
L'Auberge Restaurant
La Fonda Del Sol
Mago Café
Main Street Catering
Mountain Oasis
Oaxaca
Personal Chef Markets LLC
Red's Restaurant at Sedona Rouge
René at Tlaquepaque
Rio Sabor Brazil Steakhouse
Sam's Café
Savannah's
Sequel
Sophie's - A French Bistro
Swaddee Thai Cuisine
Thai Lahna Restaurant
The Hideaway Restaurant
The Outside Inn
The Persian Room
Tomaso's
Zen 32
For more information about the campaign to save Canadian seals, please visit humanesociety.org/protectseals.
-30-
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
