[Vision2020] Gore's Patagonian Toothfish Dinner --

[Andreas Schou]

Oh! Big surprise! Something posted by Doug turns out to be right-wing nonsense!

-- ACS

Al Gore's fish dinner turns out green

By Catherine Elsworth
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 19/07/2007

Al Gore, the world's most high profile green campaigner, was at the
centre of an embarrassing row yesterday after the serving of a rare
fish at his daughter's Beverly Hills wedding.
 	
Model of a Patagonian toothfish or Chilean sea bass - Al Gore served
'endangered fish' at daughter's wedding

Just one week after Live Earth, his global musical spectacular to
raise awareness of environmental issues, the former vice-president
attended a rehearsal dinner for his daughter's marriage that featured
Chilean sea bass. Sarah Gore, 28, a medical student, was married to
the Los Angeles businessman Bill Lee at the Beverly Hills Hotel on
July 14.

The night before the wedding, People magazine reported, the Gores were
at a dinner for 75 at the nearby Crustacean restaurant where a
six-course tasting menu included Chilean sea bass - also known as
Patagonian toothfish.

The reaction was swift: writing in in the Australian Daily Telegraph,
Rebecca Keeble of Humane Society International, a conservation
pressure group, complained of the danger to the species from "from
illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activities".

She noted that "more than 50 per cent of toothfish traded is illegally
caught, and includes juveniles vital to the ongoing toothfish
population". She called on the US government to help crack down on
illegal fishing by sanctioning Spain for allowing its nationals to
fish illegally for the species in conservation areas.
advertisement

And in the meantime, she acidly suggested, "Al Gore could choose
something else to eat". Her attack on the former vice-president, and
his implied hypocrisy, were rapidly picked up by bloggers around the
world.

But the fish enjoyed by the Gores were not endangered or illegally caught.

Rather, the restaurant later confirmed, they had come from one of the
world's few well-managed, sustainable populations of toothfish, and
caught and documented in compliance with Marine Stewardship Council
regulations. The Gores' spokesman, Kalee Kreider, admitted that the
fish has been on the menu, but said: "The Gores absolutely agree with
this humane society and the rest of the environmental community about
illegally caught Chilean sea bass.

"The problem is huge. This is unfortunate, we have been in touch with
the society today. The really important thing is that people become
more aware of this issue"