Santa Monica Sushi Restaurant The Hump Shuts Down for Serving Whale Meat
In a statement posted on its website the Santa Monica Sushi restaurant has announced its closure as a self imposed punishment for serving whale meat.
The statement read, "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." In the statement the restaurant also pledged to make contribution to the preservation of endangered species along with apologising for their "illegal actions".
The issue was highlighted when federal prosecutors charged the restaurant at the Santa Monica Airport with the illegal sale of whale meat in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a maximum fine of $200,000.
The charges were framed after animal activists along with the associate producer of the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove." organized an undercover sting operation. They recorded with a tiny video camera paying $600 for the omakase, a dish that included eight pieces of whale. The activists then sent the samples of the meat to the Marine Mammal Institute, where they were confirmed to be sei whale, which is an endangered species.
As of Saturday, the restaurant "The Hump" has closed its doors.
