SAVE THE SEALS
Boycott Red Lobster to
Boycott Canadian Seafood

ENLIST RED LOBSTER TO BOYCOTT CANADIAN SEAFOOD

Target:
Clarence Otis, Jr., CEO, Darden Restaurants.

Quick Summary:



"As leaders of a company who is otherwise respected the world over, your indifference to this slaughter where hundreds of thousands of the world's most precious and innocent creatures are being senselessly massacred every year in Canada, we beseech you to invest your pride and positive values by taking a stand against this violent hunt.  By joining the boycott of Canadian seafood your company will become the world's new leader; known for having the willingness to stand against a corrupt and otherwise powerful seafood industry; celebrated for the willingness to change your menus while seals die; recognized for standing in the way of violence; prized by your patrons for your stewardship and respected the world over for your compassion of the baby seals."

Contact Info:
RED LOBSTER/DARDEN RESTAURANTS
cotis@darden.com
5900 Lake Ellenor Drive Orlando, FL 32809
(407) 245-4000,  1-800-562-7837

(The Darden Group, this parent company also owns the Olive Garden restaurants, Smokey Joe's restaurants, and Bahama Breeze restaurants)


Our Letter to Red Lobster:
Attention: Clarence Otis, Jr. - Darden Chairman / CEO, Andrew Madsen - Darden President / COO, Kim Lopdrup - Darden Sr. VP / Red Lobster President, Barry Moullet - Darden Sr. VP, Supply Chain and Dev., Charles Ledsinger, Jr., Darden Board Member; Pres. / CEO, Choice Hotels, and Michael Rose - Darden Board Member; Chairman, Gaylord Hotels

We the undersigned are aware that Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants continue to purchase large amounts of Canadian seafood each year, including seafood from Prince Edward Island, one of the sealing provinces, in defiance of the worldwide boycott of Canadian seafood.  We are deeply saddened and frankly, disgusted to find this out.

There is no excuse for ignoring a boycott that can save the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent baby seals every year. We urge you to take meaningful action now, and stop purchasing all seafood from Canada. This is an issue of animal cruelty as well as reckless disregard for the welfare of a species and an ecosystem.

The public is aware that your large chain of restaurants may be the single largest importer of Canadian seafood in the world.  Supporting the seal hunt is irresponsible behavior and runs counter to your supposed concern for the environment.

By joining the Canadian Seafood Boycott you will be credited with helping to end to this cruel, wasteful, irresponsible slaughter that takes place in Canada each year. We the undersigned plan to boycott Red Lobster restaurants until Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants join the Canadian seafood boycott.

As leaders of a company who is otherwise respected the world over, your indifference to this slaughter where hundreds of thousands of the world's most precious and innocent creatures are being senselessly massacred every year in Canada, we beseech you to invest your pride and positive values by taking a stand against this violent hunt.  By joining the boycott of Canadian seafood your company will become the world's new leader; known for having the willingness to stand against a corrupt and otherwise powerful seafood industry; celebrated for the willingness to change your menus while seals die; recognized for standing in the way of violence; prized by your patrons for your stewardship and respected the world over for your compassion on behalf of the baby seals.
Join the Fight for the Seals!

Consumer Facts:
MOST sealers are fishermen. Seal products are illegal in the U.S, but these fishermen sell their seafood here. This is our direct response.

Many seafood companies lobby for the seal kill. One of them (the Barry Group) owns the second largest seal skin processing company (Atlantic Marine Products). Others think they'll catch more cod if they kill off the seals. And those companies that don't actively lobby for the kill either quietly support the massacres or are too timid to challenge government policies. This boycott will encourage all to demand an end to the killing.

Officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Canada have said, in meetings with animal protection organizations, that the annual seal massacre will not end until the Canadian fishing industry wants it to end. We can put pressure on this industry by boycotting their products.

Americans purchase about 70% of the seafood exports from Canada. That gives us consumer power! Canadian seafood exports to the U.S. add up to about CAN$3 billion (compared to about CAN$16 million in income from seal pelts). Just making a dent in the sales of Canadian seafood here in the U.S. will pressure the Canadian seafood industry to demand an end to the seal kill.

ECONOMIC FACTS ABOUT THE HUNT:
The Seal hunt is a fur trade issue and revenues from the slaughter account for less than 1 percent of the province's economy... yet the government actually subsidizes the hunt and calls it a 'harvest'.

Is the Seal Hunt Economically Important? No. Sealing is an off-season activity conducted by fishermen from Canada's East Coast. They make, on average, one twentieth of their incomes from seal hunting and the rest from commercial fisheries. Even in Newfoundland, where 90 percent of sealers live, revenues from the hunt account for less than 1 percent of the province's economy and only 2 percent of the landed value of the fishery. According to the Newfoundland government, out of a population of half a million people, less than 6,000 fishermen participate in the seal hunt each year.

The commercial seal hunt is an activity that Canada's federal
government could easily replace with economic alternatives, should it
choose to do so.

Keep focusing on the RED LOBSTER RESTAURANT CHAIN! If we can put enough pressure on Red Lobster, we can get this huge restaurant chain to do the right thing for the seals. This could mean the end of the seal slaughter in record time! Continue to focus on supermarkets, too, especially Publix, if you live in an area served by this chain.

If you're shy or have difficulty approaching strangers, you can try using these lines:

Would you like something to read while you wait in line?, or...

Learn how you can stop the seal slaughter just by boycotting Canadian seafood, or... 

Read about how you can save seals by boycotting Canadian seafood.


What is Canadian Seafood?
Canadian seafood is our primary focus, especially seafood from Atlantic Canada.

1) Common seafood from ATLANTIC Canada includes
:
snow crab
scallops
mackerel
turbot lobster 
mussels
herring
sardines   cold-water shrimp
cod
prawns
flatfishes (e.g., flounder)

2) Common seafood from PACIFIC Canada includes:
salmon
pacific whiting
canary rockfish
lemon sole lingcod 
pacific cod
pacific halibut
pacific ocean perch  sablefish
silver grey rockfish
pacific red snapper
geoduck clams
pink coldwater shrimp




Quick Summary:



"As leaders of a company who is otherwise respected the world over, your indifference to this slaughter where hundreds of thousands of the world's most precious and innocent creatures are being senselessly massacred every year in Canada, we beseech you to invest your pride and positive values by taking a stand against this violent hunt.  By joining the boycott of Canadian seafood your company will become the world's new leader; known for having the willingness to stand against a corrupt and otherwise powerful seafood industry; celebrated for the willingness to change your menus while seals die; recognized for standing in the way of violence; prized by your patrons for your stewardship and respected the world over for your compassion of the baby seals."

Contact Info:
RED LOBSTER/DARDEN RESTAURANTS
cotis@darden.com
5900 Lake Ellenor Drive Orlando, FL 32809
(407) 245-4000,  1-800-562-7837

(The Darden Group, this parent company also owns the Olive Garden restaurants, Smokey Joe's restaurants, and Bahama Breeze restaurants)


Our Letter to Red Lobster:
Attention: Clarence Otis, Jr. - Darden Chairman / CEO, Andrew Madsen - Darden President / COO, Kim Lopdrup - Darden Sr. VP / Red Lobster President, Barry Moullet - Darden Sr. VP, Supply Chain and Dev., Charles Ledsinger, Jr., Darden Board Member; Pres. / CEO, Choice Hotels, and Michael Rose - Darden Board Member; Chairman, Gaylord Hotels

We the undersigned are aware that Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants continue to purchase large amounts of Canadian seafood each year, including seafood from Prince Edward Island, one of the sealing provinces, in defiance of the worldwide boycott of Canadian seafood.  We are deeply saddened and frankly, disgusted to find this out.

There is no excuse for ignoring a boycott that can save the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent baby seals every year. We urge you to take meaningful action now, and stop purchasing all seafood from Canada. This is an issue of animal cruelty as well as reckless disregard for the welfare of a species and an ecosystem.

The public is aware that your large chain of restaurants may be the single largest importer of Canadian seafood in the world.  Supporting the seal hunt is irresponsible behavior and runs counter to your supposed concern for the environment.

By joining the Canadian Seafood Boycott you will be credited with helping to end to this cruel, wasteful, irresponsible slaughter that takes place in Canada each year. We the undersigned plan to boycott Red Lobster restaurants until Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants join the Canadian seafood boycott.

As leaders of a company who is otherwise respected the world over, your indifference to this slaughter where hundreds of thousands of the world's most precious and innocent creatures are being senselessly massacred every year in Canada, we beseech you to invest your pride and positive values by taking a stand against this violent hunt.  By joining the boycott of Canadian seafood your company will become the world's new leader; known for having the willingness to stand against a corrupt and otherwise powerful seafood industry; celebrated for the willingness to change your menus while seals die; recognized for standing in the way of violence; prized by your patrons for your stewardship and respected the world over for your compassion on behalf of the baby seals.
Join the Fight for the Seals!

Consumer Facts:
MOST sealers are fishermen. Seal products are illegal in the U.S, but these fishermen sell their seafood here. This is our direct response.

Many seafood companies lobby for the seal kill. One of them (the Barry Group) owns the second largest seal skin processing company (Atlantic Marine Products). Others think they'll catch more cod if they kill off the seals. And those companies that don't actively lobby for the kill either quietly support the massacres or are too timid to challenge government policies. This boycott will encourage all to demand an end to the killing.

Officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Canada have said, in meetings with animal protection organizations, that the annual seal massacre will not end until the Canadian fishing industry wants it to end. We can put pressure on this industry by boycotting their products.

Americans purchase about 70% of the seafood exports from Canada. That gives us consumer power! Canadian seafood exports to the U.S. add up to about CAN$3 billion (compared to about CAN$16 million in income from seal pelts). Just making a dent in the sales of Canadian seafood here in the U.S. will pressure the Canadian seafood industry to demand an end to the seal kill.

ECONOMIC FACTS ABOUT THE HUNT:
The Seal hunt is a fur trade issue and revenues from the slaughter account for less than 1 percent of the province's economy... yet the government actually subsidizes the hunt and calls it a 'harvest'.

Is the Seal Hunt Economically Important? No. Sealing is an off-season activity conducted by fishermen from Canada's East Coast. They make, on average, one twentieth of their incomes from seal hunting and the rest from commercial fisheries. Even in Newfoundland, where 90 percent of sealers live, revenues from the hunt account for less than 1 percent of the province's economy and only 2 percent of the landed value of the fishery. According to the Newfoundland government, out of a population of half a million people, less than 6,000 fishermen participate in the seal hunt each year.

The commercial seal hunt is an activity that Canada's federal
government could easily replace with economic alternatives, should it
choose to do so.

Keep focusing on the RED LOBSTER RESTAURANT CHAIN! If we can put enough pressure on Red Lobster, we can get this huge restaurant chain to do the right thing for the seals. This could mean the end of the seal slaughter in record time! Continue to focus on supermarkets, too, especially Publix, if you live in an area served by this chain.

If you're shy or have difficulty approaching strangers, you can try using these lines:

Would you like something to read while you wait in line?, or...

Learn how you can stop the seal slaughter just by boycotting Canadian seafood, or... 

Read about how you can save seals by boycotting Canadian seafood.


What is Canadian Seafood?
Canadian seafood is our primary focus, especially seafood from Atlantic Canada.

1) Common seafood from ATLANTIC Canada includes
:
snow crab
scallops
mackerel
turbot lobster 
mussels
herring
sardines   cold-water shrimp
cod
prawns
flatfishes (e.g., flounder)

2) Common seafood from PACIFIC Canada includes:
salmon
pacific whiting
canary rockfish
lemon sole lingcod 
pacific cod
pacific halibut
pacific ocean perch  sablefish
silver grey rockfish
pacific red snapper
geoduck clams
pink coldwater shrimp




Attention: Clarence Otis, Jr. - Darden Chairman / CEO, Andrew Madsen - Darden President / COO, Kim Lopdrup - Darden Sr. VP / Red Lobster President, Barry Moullet - Darden Sr. VP, Supply Chain and Dev., Charles Ledsinger, Jr., Darden Board Member; Pres. / CEO, Choice Hotels, and Michael Rose - Darden Board Member; Chairman, Gaylord Hotels

We the undersigned are aware that Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants continue to purchase large amounts of Canadian seafood each year, including seafood from Prince Edward Island, one of the sealing provinces, in defiance of the worldwide boycott of Canadian seafood.  We are deeply saddened and frankly, disgusted to find this out.

There is no excuse for ignoring a boycott that can save the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent baby seals every year. We urge you to take meaningful action now, and stop purchasing all seafood from Canada. This is an issue of animal cruelty as well as reckless disregard for the welfare of a species and an ecosystem.

We know that your large chain of restaurants may be the single largest importer of Canadian seafood in the world.  This irresponsible behavior is shameful and runs counter to your supposed concern for the environment.

This boycott will bring an end to the cruel, wasteful, irresponsible seal slaughter that takes place in Canada each year. We are appalled that Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants has continued to refuse to do the right thing. We plan to boycott Red Lobster restaurants until Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants join the Canadian seafood boycott.

As leaders of a company who is otherwise respected the world over your indifference to this slaughter where hundreds of thousands of the world%u2019s most precious and innocent creatures are being senselessly massacred every year in Canada, we beseech you to invest your pride and positive values by taking a stand against this violent hunt.  By joining the boycott of Canadian seafood your company will become the world%u2019s new leader; known for having the willingness to stand against a corrupt and otherwise powerful seafood industry; celebrated for the willingness to change your menus while seals die; recognized for standing in the way of violence; prized by your patrons for your stewardship and respected the world over for your compassion of the baby seals.
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We signed the "ENLIST RED LOBSTER TO BOYCOTT CANADIAN SEAFOOD" petition!
# 1,429:
6:09 am PST, Nov 4, Devan Crittenden, Florida
This brutal hunt cannot be ignored, there are many cost efficient alternatives that are a lot more humane.

Please do not support canadian sea food. It is not humane.

# 1,428:
10:35 pm PDT, Oct 29, Mark Sousa, California
# 1,427:
11:17 am PDT, Oct 23, Helle Collin, Denmark
# 1,426:
11:27 pm PDT, Oct 22, Slavoljub Zaric, Canada
# 1,425:
7:40 am PDT, Oct 21, Alvaro Gutierrez, Colombia
# 1,424:
12:01 am PDT, Oct 20, Name not displayed, United Kingdom
# 1,423:
9:53 am PDT, Oct 15, Julie Jamieson, United Kingdom
How can you not stand up for the Seals, the way they are cruely butchered beggars belief.

Please join the boycott and show you have good hearts.

# 1,422:
5:16 pm PDT, Sep 23, Lindsay Elkins, Mississippi
Please stop this ridiculous practice!! I am outraged at this annual event and the government's sponsorship of it. What terrible stewards we are of our most precious and vulnerable popluations..from children, to elderly, to animals to the environment. Stop buckeling under pressure and do the moral thing...it isn't that difficult!

I will not frequent your establishments again untill I see that you are not supporting Canada's seafood industry as long as they continue thier inexplicable seal hunt.

# 1,421:
10:13 pm PDT, Aug 24, Pandora Estelle, Canada
Wow, I had no idea this was a petition, but I have the same photo for mine too. So this is great! Thanks for creating this! This is something I really do wish could stop..I mean it's horrible.. Getting hunted down at three months old? NONE of us would like that at all..Why do it to the adoable baby seals!!!
# 1,420:
4:53 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Illinois
# 1,419:
4:14 am PDT, Jun 30, Helen Griffiths, United Kingdom
# 1,418:
2:37 pm PDT, Jun 29, Jayme Golden, California
# 1,417:
10:33 pm PDT, Jun 28, Barbara Minier, Pennsylvania
This senseless act of inhumanity must stop. These innocent creatures are being slaughtered at the hands of individuals that God has chosen to put on this earth. We are all connected and we are all one. Please stop this brutality and use those hands for doing what is right in this world. You can make a difference.
# 1,416:
9:56 am PDT, Jun 24, Dawn Hixson, Alabama
# 1,415:
12:29 pm PDT, Jun 21, Nancy Hendrix, Florida
Mr. Otis, Please don't just ignore the seal hunt and the way baby seals are killed and tortured.

I encourage Red Lobster and Olive Garden, which I like, to support the Canadian seafood boycott until the fisherman pressure the government to stop the cruel hunt.

# 1,414:
10:45 am PDT, Jun 19, Susan Taunton, Arizona
Joining the boycott is the way to communicate the message that this brutality is wrong and we will not stand for it.
# 1,413:
8:07 am PDT, Jun 19, Katherine Schlund, Texas
# 1,412:
5:22 am PDT, Jun 19, Anna Kalinowska, Poland
# 1,411:
8:20 am PDT, Jun 17, Jessica LaPlante, Tennessee
Mister Otis, As a citizen of humanity, we must endeavor to a higher standard of ideals. What a sad legacy we leave to future generations who will look back and marvel at the cruelty and barbarism that is enacted annually on the Canadian ice floes. I beseech you to stand up against this industry by discontinuing your company's substantial support - please boycott the Canadian Seafood Industry until they discontinue this horrific practice.
# 1,410:
5:39 am PDT, Jun 17, Carissa Van den berg, South Africa
# 1,409:
6:55 pm PDT, Jun 15, Jacqueline Webb, Canada
# 1,408:
2:41 pm PDT, Jun 15, Milan Rokanovic, Serbia And Montenegro
# 1,407:
10:48 am PDT, Jun 15, Regina Dickerson, Alabama
# 1,406:
10:09 am PDT, Jun 15, Suzanne Gorman, New York
# 1,405:
7:17 pm PDT, Jun 14, Michelle Du Preez, New Zealand
# 1,404:
6:08 pm PDT, Jun 14, Ann Tedeschi-Davidson, New York
# 1,403:
2:42 pm PDT, Jun 14, James Red, California
Ask Clarence Otis not to ignore the brutal seal hunt..

Ask Red Lobster & the Olive Garden to stop supporting this cruel slaughter by Joining the Boycott

# 1,402:
1:03 pm PDT, Jun 14, Catherine GREJON, Spain
# 1,401:
10:50 am PDT, Jun 14, M. Rønsholt, Denmark
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