WHALE SUSHI: The L.A.
restaurant was caught serving illegal whale sushi like this — called
kujira in Japan. (Photo: jetalone/Flickr)
Once again armed with hidden video cameras and tiny microphones,
the team behind the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove
orchestrated a sting operation in one of California's most
highly regarded sushi destinations — a restaurant called the Hump —
while in Los Angeles to receive their Academy Award, according
to the New York Times.
The so-called "sushi sting," which involved many of the same James
Bond-like undercover hijinks featured in the film, actually began last
October when the documentary's associate producer, Charles Hambleton,
heard from friends that the Hump was serving illegal whale meat — a
shocking allegation, even in sushi-loving Tinseltown where unusual fish
imported from Japan can be commonplace menu items. Selling this marine mammal
meat is illegal according to U.S. federal law and can be punished with a
fine up to $20,000 and a year in prison.
Since Hambleton knew the whole crew would be in town for the
Academy Awards, it only made sense to plan the operation for that same
week. And, of course, Hambleton needed time to build specialized hidden
cameras for the operation too.
On Feb. 28, just a week before the filmmakers stood on the stage at
the Oscars to accept their award, two animal activist associates
wearing cameras and microphones sat down at the Hump and ordered a
session of omakase, a sushi meal for which the chef picks all the
dishes. Sure enough, the video clearly shows them being served thick,
pink slices of meat — which the waitress unambiguously describes as
"whale."
After feigning interest and covertly stashing the meat in Ziploc
bags, the activists walked out with their evidence. Samples were then
sent to the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State
University, confirming that the meat was indeed from a whale. Worse yet,
DNA from the samples indicated more specifically that the animal was a
Sei whale, an endangered species. "I’ve been doing this for years," said
professor Scott Baker, who performed the tests. "I was pretty shocked."
After Baker forwarded his findings to the United States attorney in
Los Angeles, further investigations revealed an assemblage of shady
smuggling practices occurring at the Hump, including the discovery that
the restaurant's chefs likely obtained their whale meat from a
mysterious Mercedes parked behind the restaurant.
Law officials entered the Hump last Friday serving search warrants,
and they said charges would be brought against the restaurant for
violating federal laws against selling marine mammals.
"This isn’t just about saving whales," said Louie Psihoyos, the
director of The Cove, "But about saving the planet."
Bryan Nelson is a regular contributor to Mother Nature Network, where this post originally appeared.
More from Mother Nature Network
- Top 10 environmental documentaries of 2009
- Oscars give hook to dolphin-saving signage
- 'The Cove' to get its own TV show on Animal Planet
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