Well, as it turns out, two animal rights activists who worked with Louie Psihoyos, director of The Cove, have uncovered a secret in Los Angeles. The Hump restaurant and sushi chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto were charged with illegally selling Sei whale meat, a species believed to be endangered.
In October, animal rights activist Crystal Galbraith and a friend of hers who spoke fluent Japanese spent over $600, eating increasingly exotic dishes to gain the confidence of the waiters and chef.
“It was heartbreaking to eat an endangered animal, but I knew that I was doing it to save the whales,” said Galbraith, a vegan. “We were there eating for four hours. I felt so full and sick.”
Psihoyos helped Galbraith record the meal with a camera and microphone. Along with filming, they also took a sample of the meat. Psihoyos then took their findings to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which started an investigation.
In February, Galbraith returned three more times to The Hump with NOAA agents now watching Yamamoto’s every move.
According to an affidavit in the case, restaurant staff suggested the whale meat had come from a Mercedes parked behind the restaurant.
The illegal sale of a marine mammal product for an unauthorized purpose, a misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum statutory penalty of one year in federal prison and a maximum fine of $100,000 for an individual and $200,000 for an organization.
My favorite part of this whole story is how American vegans have eaten illegal, exotic meat that probably 99% of the US has never even seen. They’re like undercover narcotics agents who use to get closer to their mark.
Either way all of this press brought me to an article written by Dyske Suematsu, an Asian who has been living in America for the past 15 years. He did a write-up about The Cove from a not-really-Asian-not-really-American stand point. I found it quite interesting and thought I’d pass it along.
The Cove - The Unfortunate War Continues
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