Fish Dealer Admits He Sold Whale Meat

A Gardena seafood dealer who imported and sold illegal whale meat from Japan pled guilty Tuesday, May 31st, to violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The man apparently has been importing whale meat for an entire decade. Among his customers was the Executive Chef of The Hump, the Santa Monica sushi restaurant that closed in 2010 after being charged with serving whale meat. The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits the sale of all whale meat in the United States, and Sei whales are additionally listed as a federally protected species.

From an ethical perspective, the systemic sale of meat from such remarkable creatures is horrifying. Let’s hope no one else steps up to fill The Hump’s shoes.

Learn more at the Daily News.