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We can't help but wonder if Guido Rahr, president of the Wild Salmon Center in Portland, Ore., thought he was smack in the middle of ABC's hidden camera series, "What Would You Do?"
Rahr spotted Atlantic bluefin tuna on the menu at Sinju Restaurant's Pearl District location while having lunch, and proceeded to do exactly what groups like Seafood Watch, Environmental Defense Fund or Blue Ocean Institute encourage: he politely spoke up. And as a result, got himself banned from the restaurant. That's right, according to Rahr, they said he was no longer welcome at Sinju and would refuse to serve him.
In an email dated August 16, to Mike Chen of Sinju's management team, Rahr writes:
"I have been a regular customer of Sinju for years and the Wild Salmon Center has given Sinju quite a bit of business. So when I saw Atlantic Bluefin tuna on the menu, I felt it was important for Sinju to know that this is not just another declining species, but perhaps the most high profile endangered fish species on earth."
Rahr had been eating at Sinju for nearly a decade. The headquarters for his environmental group is located in the Ecotrust Natural Capital Center, across the street from the restaurant, and is home to several other conservation and sustainable development groups who share similar concerns about endangered species.
Rahr didn't just mention that bluefin was overfished, he took the time to come back with printed materials detailing the seriousness of their plight in the hopes that at the very least, the team at Sinju would think twice before putting the fish on the menu again.
"I was surprised that Sinju's reaction to all this was not to stop selling bluefin, or to even politely disagree with a loyal customer, but to ban me from eating at Sinju," he continues in his letter. He has not yet received a reply from the restaurant to his letter.
Rahr, who says he doesn't recall seeing bluefin on the menu prior to this incident, is still stunned.
"I'm a regular customer. I didn't just walk in out of nowhere, and I did it in such a respectful way. I mean, this is Portland we're talking about," he says.
While the restaurant isn't alone in being pressured to stop serving bluefin, their ban on Rahr for broaching the topic has caught the attention of industry watchers. Kristofor Lofgren, owner of Bamboo Sushi, recognized as one of the most sustainable sushi restaurants in the nation, located just three-miles from Sinju, says he's disappointed that Sinju wasn't open to a conversation about conservation, but adds that environmentalists need to be more thoughtful about their own food choices.
"When you're the head of an environmental organization devoted to the preservation of one of the most important species economically and culturally to the Northwest, and you eat at a place that doesn't serve wild salmon, that was surprising to me. I'm surprised that Ecotrust, or any members of Ecotrust, would support or align themselves with any organization that doesn't directly support their initiative and mission back," says Lofgren.
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8-29-2010 @11:36PM grwhitaker said... No, just a reflection of inbreeding leading to diminished capacity...
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8-29-2010 @11:47PM chris said... environmentalists/liberals won't be happy until we're eating out of the field like cows. no dairy, no eating animals, I"m sure they'll say some plants are endangered and limit those too. hey, lots of people won't eat meat that came from being cruel to an animal like veal but when is this insanity going to stop?? cave men ate meat. they are so arrogant to want to change what;s been going on since the beginning of mankind. If I ever hear someone at a restuarant lecturing about eating meat, I'm going to make my burger a double with bacon and savor every bite with great enthusiasm.
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8-30-2010 @11:38AM fred said... Typical Republicans. "..........I got mine......."
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9-01-2010 @4:05PM The realist said... Obviously, the restaurant basically tried to be courteous by NOT telling Rahr to mind his own business. It must not be against the law to sell the Bluefin Tuna from what the story said.
I would also question whether or not Rahr was rude to the restaurant. He kept coming back with pamphlets (probably lies like global warming) and trying to press his politics on the restaurant owners. I would have thrown him out too. It's my business, mind your own, oh by the way don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out and don't come back.
I am so sick and tired of these environmentalists that lie, stretch the truth or spin everthing around. Most likely the same people that took pictures of the polar bears on an ice flow and say that they are endangered and the melting ice ill cause them to drown. First, that picture was taken during the season when the ice melts every year. And second, polar bears are not endangered, nor have their numbers decreased. There was a study done around 1978-1980 and there were 5,000 polar bear. Another study was done around I believe 2000-2002 and that study found there were 25,000. A 500% growth factor when we, the public, were being told by ENVIRONMENTALISTS that their numbers were decreasing.
I am done with Political Correctness, Environmentalists are liars, just like Obama, just like Pelosi, Just like Reid, just like Congress. All of you get the hell out of my life. By the way Ms. Pelosi just how big is your "carbon footprint" every week when you fly your plane coast to coast and back? And, Mr. Obama all your vacations, you wife's vacations in addition to those together, and all those trips to stump for Congressional Democrats under the guise of this or that, just how big are all those "CARBON FOOTPRINTS". And you tell me I have to go green. Well, all you hypocrites, I am holding up 3 fingers, can you read between the lines.
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8-30-2010 @12:46AM Joe in JT said... This dude actually brings liturature in the restaurant to pester the owner on how many tuna are in the ocean. As if he really knows. How the freek can you count tuna. Idiot.
Where was the concerned fish dude when BP spilled a billion barrel of oil in the Gulf of Mexico and then tried to sink it with CorExit a deadly poison that kills anything it touches. Dude was to busy eating at suishi bar's and sipping Dom Perrion. If saving fish was so important, why aren't you eating hamburger.
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8-30-2010 @12:35AM Vinny said... Bluefin tuna is not on the endangered species list . So what's the big deal ?
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8-30-2010 @12:53AM NYK said... Picket the money-grubbing joint.
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8-30-2010 @1:59AM Brian Workman said... I've never met, or ever heard, of a respectful environmentalist, EVER!!
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8-30-2010 @2:01AM comisar99 said... NOW that is the way of dealing with cry-baby libs, do NOT feed them, after about one month, there will be no more of them alive.
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8-30-2010 @2:22AM Len said... It isn't just the tuna we should be concerned about. It is quite obvious that Japan is out to destroy the world by depleting many species such as whales and dolphins which has been well documented. Unfortunately, when everyone realizes this, it will be too late.
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8-30-2010 @2:30AM moi said... i think it's much ado about nothing. i'd just stop going to that restaurant and if the bluefin was endangered, report it to the police or peta or whatever and then let it go.. ur there to eat not give ur opinion on endangered fish! so what if they banned him; they reserve the right to refuse to serve you for any reason. u r on their territory and u will abide by their rules! it's not ur or public property!
that being said, restaurants make you think that u r their friend, but they r only after ur money, and that's it! if you make trouble 4 them, they'll drop u like a hot potato! nothing personal just business! i know becuz i have worked at one many years and that's the way things r!
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8-30-2010 @3:02AM James said... TALK ABOUT STUPID BUSINESS PRACTICES ! AND IN A PLACE LIKE SEATTLE WHERE ENVIRONMENTALISTS HAVE CLOUT NO LESS ! THAT RESTAURANT SHOULD HAVE WELCOMED AN EXPERTS ADVICE AND INPUT. BUT IF YOU CAN STAND THE HEAT IN THE KITCHEN................GET OUT.
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8-30-2010 @3:33AM tony said... well dee, that is all up to you, if you like frys then when out scoring that big, fat blue fin, I`m assuming the store (unless you have a tuna fishin boat). then bi all meens grab a few bags of them frozen frys for d bar b q. But 4 a reel good batch of frys, I suggest you inquire about my home made kind, it`s a lotta work, but well worth it, . It be a long process but if you are interested, let me know and I`ll put it on here for you & any 1 else that loves great frys!!!!!!. Bon app a tite & have a love lee nite.
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8-30-2010 @3:51AM lalayna said... What the Japanese do to the oceans sucks. I'd like to see Japanese fisherman on a menu.
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8-30-2010 @6:09AM geomcd said... A so called environmentalist telling anyone........anything..........nicely??? that would be a new one.
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8-30-2010 @6:20AM Sick of the double standard ECO freaks said... First off if this guy cared so much about protecting fish why the hell was he eating at a seafood restaurant for 10 years while saying I support conservation of fish. Yeah dude talk about being a hypocrite. Guys like this who want everyone to do this or that to save the planet SHOULD SET AN
EXAMPLE. You want to save fish DON'T EAT FISH don't expect people to follow your words when you yourselves don't back them up with personal action! Till you do shut up we are sick of your hypocrisy
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8-30-2010 @7:09AM Mike said... Do we really have to dine on seafood that is suffering from depleated stock? why can't we just boycot the establishments that serve species that are on the verge of being threatened, have several year moratoriums for stocks to recover! look what happened to the fishing industry on the west coast because of over fishing! every one lost! ! !
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8-30-2010 @7:54AM Rick said... What an ass, If it was my resturant I would have kicked him out too. If you dont have enough class to approach the owner before or after service or arrange a business meeting then you got what you had coming. Stop trying to convert the world to your beliefs. If you dont like the menu, dont eat there, if they dont have your salmon, go to one that does, some of us like blue fin and when it's really endangered, I trust my government to decde that and make changes
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8-30-2010 @10:11AM Linda said... I believe that all restaurants should be banned from serving anything anyone likes or dislikes, so all restaurants go out of business and the "food police" have nothing to complain about. I cook at home because I cannot afford to eat at restaurants but I sure as hell don't have the right to tell people what or what not to eat. That is a personal decision and as far as I am concerned no one has the right to tell another person what or what not to eat. This is carrying on the "big brother" project concept just a little too far.
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8-30-2010 @11:15AM Tom said... Good for him. Enough of thess self-righteous know- it- alls like Rahr.
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