A trendy California sushi restaurant says it’s closing after being accused of serving illegal whale meat.
The company that owns Santa Monica’s The Hump restaurant had already apologized for the whale meat accusation earlier in the week.
The restaurant’s Web site said: “After 12 years doing business in Santa Monica, The Hump will be closing its doors effective March 20, 2010. The Hump hopes that by closing its doors, it will help bring awareness to the detrimental effect that illegal whaling has on the preservation of our ocean ecosystems and species.”
The investigation into the eatery began in October when two members of the team that made the documentary, “The Cove” visited The Hump, officials said.
“The Cove,” which exposes the annual killing of dolphins at a Japanese fishing village, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary earlier in March.
Armed with a hidden camera, two women from the documentary captured the waitress serving them whale and horse meat and identifying them as such, a federal criminal complaint said. A receipt from the restaurant at the end of the meal identified their selection as “whale” and “horse” with a cost of $85 written next to them.
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Article courtesy cnn.com
