As Little Rock Prepares for Super Tuesday, Area Chefs Pledge to Take Canadian Seafood Off the Menu

The Humane Society of the United States is pleased to announce that nationally recognized Little Rock chef and restaurateur, Mark Abernathy, and six other prominent chefs from Arkansas have joined the ProtectSeals campaign.

Mark Abernathy is the former host and creator of Today's Cuisine, a nationally syndicated cooking show. He is also the only Arkansas chef selected to participate in the nationally celebrated Salute to Southern Chefs. He has been nominated six years in a row. His restaurants are Loca Luna and Bene Vita. Bon Appetit magazine named Loca Luna one of the "Best Neighborhood Restaurants" in America and was featured on Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels. Bene Vita has been recognized as one of the "Best Italian Restaurants" in the United States. 

When asked why he joined the campaign, Abernathy replied, "Why wouldn't I join?  It's such a simple thing to switch one's seafood away from Canada. There are so many sources of seafood, wonderful seafood right here in the United States. If switching to non-Canadian seafood can help save the lives of hundreds of thousands of seals, there's no question, I will do my part."

In the coming days, Little Rock can expect its share of reporters, campaign staffers and candidates.  None will find Canadian seafood on the menu of some of the area's best restaurants.

Little Rock chefs Capi Peck (Trio's), State Rep. Kathy Webb (Lilly's Dim Sum Then Sum), Peter Brave (Brave New Restaurant), Scott McGehee (Boulevarde), and Chris Tanner (Cheers in the Heights) and Hot Springs chef Joe Gargano (Belle Arti Ristorante, Rogers–Belle Arti Ristorante and Steakhouse and Porterhouse Steak and Seafood) are joining Abernathy in pledging to stop selling Canadian seafood until Canada ends its commercial seal hunt.  These are some of the most respected chefs in Arkansas and all share a passion for fine food and for saving the seals.

These seven chefs are a welcome addition to the long list of well-known chefs who have joined the ProtectSeals campaign, including Todd Miller, J. Joho, Michael Romano, Nancy Oakes, Mario Curko, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. By encouraging restaurants, chefs and consumers to not purchase Canadian seafood, The HSUS intends to convince Canada's fishermen to stop participating in and supporting that country's commercial seal hunt.

"We couldn't be happier to have Chef Abernathy and his esteemed colleagues from Little Rock and Hot Springs join our campaign," says Patricia Ragan, Director of the ProtectSeals campaign. "Together they are sending a crystal clear message to Canada – killing baby seals is an unacceptable business practice that must end."

As for views on Canada's commercial seal hunt – the news is refreshingly bipartisan. Saving baby seals – if little else - enjoys equally strong support across the political spectrum with the vast majority of Americans--Democrat, Republican and Independent alike--opposing Canada's seal hunt. Recently, the US House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution calling on Canada to end its commercial seal hunt. Thanks to chefs like Mark Abernathy, Kathy Webb, Capi Peck, Peter Brave, Scott McGehee, Chris Tanner and Joe Gargano that day is fast approaching.

Facts:

• The HSUS launched the campaign against Canadian seafood in March 2005.
• Seal hunting is an off-season activity conducted by commercial fishermen from Canada's East Coast.
• 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.
• Nearly two-thirds of Canadian seafood is exported to the U.S. producing $2.5 billion annually for the Canadian economy, compared to well under $20 million generated each year by the commercial seal hunt.
• Canadian government trade statistics reveal that Canadian exports of snow crabs – the primary target of the seafood boycott - to the U.S. have dropped by hundreds of millions of dollars in the two years since the campaign was launched.
• In addition to the more than 3,000 of companies that are participating in the campaign, more than 490,000 individuals have signed pledges not to buy or consume Canadian seafood.
• Canada's commercial seal hunt is the world's largest slaughter of marine mammals, with more than one million seals killed in the past three years.

For more information on the campaign to save Canadian seals and to sign the boycott pledge, 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.