Whole Foods Market joins Canadian seafood boycott

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Whole Foods Market joins Canadian seafood boycott!
Date: Tue, 3 May 2005 11:07:35 EDT

The following is the statement that was issued to the press:

Whole Foods Market consistently offers the highest quality seafood gathered from the best sources locally and around the world. We pride ourselves on seeking the best environmental choices for seafood and informing our customers about the latest issues pertaining to seafood.
For the last 25 years, including most recently with the advent of our Animal Compassion Foundation, Whole Foods Market has championed livestock production standards that ensure humane treatment of animals.

Accordingly, we have learned that fisherman from northwestern coast of Newfoundland and in and around the Magdalen Islands and Prince Edward Island in Canada are clubbing baby harp seals to death in the off-season from fishing to earn extra money by selling the fur.

In response, we are suspending any purchase of seafood from these areas, buying, instead from other parts of the world, until the fisherman cease this practice.

If it is determined that population control of the seals is necessary for the balance of the ecosystem and health of the seal population, then we will encourage the fisherman and the Canadian government to find more humane ways to achieve this.

In addition to sending notice of our decision to the fishermen in the areas where the seal hunt takes place, we will provide the Canadian government input on the seal hunt issue at their Seal Forum scheduled for September 2005.

Jessie Walker
Asst Customer Communications Coordinator
Whole Foods Market
550 Bowie St.
Austin, TX, 78703