The Hump Restaurant Permanently Closes Its Doors
Image Source: Yahoo Images.
The Hump restaurant of Santa Monica, California, was suspected of serving illegal whale meat to its customers. A couple of environmental activists did a bit of detective work and after doing some tests on a piece of whale sushi acquired from the restaurant, they discovered that the sushi actually came from the Sei whale—an endangered species. Further investigation found that some shady dealings were going on behind the restaurant—dealings that involved smuggled whale meat being obtained from a very suspicious black Mercedes.
A statement posted on The Hump’s website explains:
“The Hump hopes that by closing its doors, it will help bring awareness to the detrimental effect that illegal whaling has on the preservation of our ocean ecosystems and species. Closing the restaurant is a self-imposed punishment on top of the fine that will be meted out by court. The Owner of The Hump also will be taking additional action to save endangered species.
…The Hump apologizes to our loyal customers, the community of Santa Monica, and the public at large for our illegal actions. While the current difficulties faced by The Hump overshadow the many friendships formed over the years, we want our customers and friends to know how much we thank you for your support.”
The “additional action” the owner will be taking includes making donations to organizations dedicated to the preservation of whales and other endangered species. As for the punishment: the owners face a year in prison and a maximum fine of $200,000, while Chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto faces a fine of $100,000.
It’s certainly nice to see that they are decent enough to admit their wrong-doings, plus voluntarily close their restaurant and put forth intentions of helping endangered species for a change. However, it’s rather unfortunate to see that things had to happen in such a way to make them even want to help the endangered species—which is what they should have done in the first place, rather than use the animals as a means to fill their pockets.
If you suspect any business—restaurant or otherwise—of using threatened or endangered species (or their parts) as part of their food, inventory and so forth, please contact the authorities about them! If you feel uncomfortable contacting the authorities, you can also contact a number of environmental organizations that will be more than willing to help out and investigate things. While the Sei whales may still be poached and sold illegally, they were at least fortunate enough in this case to have someone speak up on their behalf. Don’t hesitate to do the same if you suspect foul play from others. That one small action could save more lives than you know.
By Heidi Marshall
I have been with GreenFudge for about a year now, but I've had a passion for Nature my entire life. When I'm not writing articles, you can find me out hiking, gardening, working on green craft projects, or taking photos for my website. You can check out the site at http://arkisaeo.com
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Tags: California, endangered species, reporting illegal environmental activity, restaurant closing, Sei Whale, The Hump, whale sushi
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