Whole Foods, the high-end USA grocery retailer, has been met with controversy after deciding to stop the sale of Maine Lobster across all of its stores. The major fish sustainability guide red-listed the lobsters as the fishing gear used to catch them in the Gulf of Maine threatens the North Atlantic Right Whales - the most endangered species of large whale in the world. Whole Foods cited the Maine Stewardship Council and Seafood Watch for its environmental concerns.
“These third-party verifications and ratings are critical to maintaining the integrity of our standards for all wild-caught seafood found in our seafood department. We are closely monitoring this situation and are committed to working with suppliers, fisheries, and environmental advocacy groups as it develops,” said Nathan Cimbala, Whole Foods Market Spokesperson.
The decision has been met with criticism from customers and politicians, as Maine hosts the largest lobster industry in the USA.
“We are disappointed by Whole Foods’ decision and deeply frustrated that the Marine Stewardship Council’s suspension of the lobster industry’s certificate of sustainability continues to harm the livelihoods of hardworking men and women up and down Maine’s coast,” said a joint statement from Main Senators, Representatives and the Governor Janet Mills.
“In an appeal to retailers just weeks ago, we outlined the facts: there has never been a right whale death attributed to Maine lobster gear; Maine lobstermen have a 150-year history of sustainability; and Maine’s lobstering community has consistently demonstrated their commitment to protecting right whales. Despite this, the Marine Stewardship Council, with retailers following suit, wrongly and blindly decided to follow the recommendations of misguided environmental groups rather than science. We strongly urge the Marine Stewardship Council and retailers to reconsider their potentially devastating decisions.”
Mixed comments on the supermarket's Facebook page can been seen below:
