To: Kim Lopdrup, CEO, Red Lobster
Boycott Red Lobster Slavery Shrimp
The Red Lobster chain is America's largest seafood chain with over 700 restaurants, selling "Endless shrimp" linked with slavery and environmental destruction.
More than 2,000 trapped fishermen have been freed this year as a result of an ongoing Associated Press investigative series into slavery in the Thai seafood industry. The reports also have led to a dozen arrests, millions of dollars' worth of seizures and proposals for new federal laws.
Why is this important?
Shrimp has caused the decline of sea turtles globally and mangrove forest destruction for shrimp farms.
Shrimp has long been associated with ecological destruction from trawlers clear cutting the ocean bottom and killing sea turtles, and the destruction of mangrove for shrimp farms. Shrimp also has a darker side, with thousands of workers enslaved in brutal conditions so consumers can enjoy cheap, all you can eat shrimp.
With 90% of shrimp imported, these products are killing American fisheries, which are better regulated and managed.
Consumers of "Endless shrimp" and larger shrimp promoted by America's largest seafood chain are complicit in human and environmental crime. The lack of ethical consumption promoted by Red Lobster is heinous and promotes slavery and environmental destruction. Boycott Red Lobster until all unsustainable and unethical shrimp are removed from the menu.