Rotting Fish
by digby
People Magazine reports that former Vice President Al Gore’s youngest daughter, Sarah Gore, 28, married businessman Bill Lee at the Beverly Hills Hotel earlier this month. For the rehearsal dinner, at Beverly Hills’ Crustacean restaurant, executive chef Helene An prepared a six-course menu that included Chilean sea bass.
One problem, says Rebecca Keeble, program manager for Humane Society International.
Chilean Sea Bass is “arguably one of the world’s most threatened fish species” who says the selection indicates “only one week after Live Earth, Al Gore’s green credentials slipped.”
Writing in the Daily Telegraph today (LINK), Keeble points out that “Working with non-government organisations, the Humane Society International’s focus is now on pursuit of illegal fishing operators who, in the rush to cash in on the highly valued species, plunder stocks with no regard for sustainability.”
Tom Brokaw, among others, has covered how this delicious fish’s popularity is leading to problems (LINK) with its population.
Is Gore to be chastised for every fish that shows up on his plate? It’s not as if he was eating a Bald Eagle. (Whoops — weren’t those just taken off the Endangered Species List!)
On the other hand, could this be seen as the environmentalist version of Sen. David Vitter’s public santimony/private enjoyment of love with a red-lit glow?
Unless somebody at the wedding was schtupping the fish wearing a diaper, I’m not sure I see the analogy.
It’s also worth noting that not all Chilean Sea bass are endangered and that Jake Tapper and his bitchy little wingnut gossip pals should have checked to see where Ms Gore’s caterer got the fish. Whole Foods, the scourge of environmental liberal fascism last I heard, sells the stuff:
Chilean sea bass have returned to our Seafood Departments after a seven year hiatus. In 1999, it became clear that this popular species (also called Patagonian toothfish) was being overfished at an alarming rate, threatening its extinction. In accordance with our strict sustainable seafood policy, Whole Foods Market stopped selling Chilean Sea Bass in August, 1999.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an independent non-profit body dedicated to sustainable fishing practices and ocean health, recently certified a fishery operating out of South Georgia Island for the sustainable harvesting of Chilean sea bass. This island is near the South Sandwich Islands located in the extreme southern Atlantic, where harsh prevailing weather conditions and active volcanism make it difficult for fishermen. While poaching remains a serious threat to Chilean sea bass in other areas, this remote fishery has proven itself to be a responsible one dedicated to sustainable practices as documented by the MSC.
I can’t believe we have to deal with this nonsense.
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