Source: Jonathan Turley Blog
by Jonathan Turley
“The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued an interesting torts decision yesterday on group libel. In Bean Maine Lobster, Inc. v. Monterey Bay Aquarium Found., a unanimous appellate panel ruled that the Maine lobster industry could not sue the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation for saying that Maine lobstering is all wrong for the right whale. The controversy began after the Aquarium told the public to avoid lobster because lobster fishing poses a risk to the endangered North Atlantic right whale. The Maine lobster industry employs roughly 6000 people and catches a whopping 80 percent of the ‘lobster landings’. The Aquarium maintains a program called Seafood Watch, which assigns ratings to different species of seafood, ‘based on environmental impact and sustainability’. It gives a ‘red’ rating to seafood that ‘comes from sources that don’t align with [Seafood Watch’s] guiding principles.’ It gave a red rating to lobster.” (10/10/26)