
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 13, 1990                   TAG: 9004130199
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

3 TUNA CANNERS GO DOLPHIN-FREE

Three U.S. tuna canners, including the world's largest, said Thursday they will no longer buy or sell tuna captured along with dolphins. Environmentalists who have long sought to protect dolphins from fishing nets strongly praised the decisions.

The actions were announced by companies selling the StarKist, Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea brands. Environmentalists and lawmakers said they hoped the move would save some of the estimated 100,000 dolphins that die annually in huge nets used to catch schools of tuna.

"StarKist will not purchase any tuna caught in association with dolphins," said Anthony J.F. O'Reilly, president of the H.J. Heinz Co., owner of StarKist Seafood Co., the world's largest tuna canner.

The change could cost consumers "a couple or more cents" per can, O'Reilly said, adding that he hoped sales would increase with the announcement and some increased costs "will be compensated by increased volume."

San Diego-based Bumble Bee Seafoods Inc. and Van Kamp Seafood of St. Louis, seller of Chicken of the Sea brand, followed suit a few hours later.

Leslie Scheele of Greenpeace, which backs a worldwide boycott of tuna caught with nets, called the announcements "without a doubt one of the biggest steps that could be taken in order to preserve dolphins . . . in probably the last 20-30 years."

"Now Charlie the Tuna has a reason to smile," said Rep. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., author of the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act of 1990, referring to the animated character in StarKist ads.

But the American Tunaboat Association said the new policy was merely a political response that could destroy the U.S. tuna fleet and do little to save dolphin lives. "Foreign boats, which operate free of stringent U.S. quota, will simply sell their catch to a growing European market and elsewhere," said August Felando, association president.

by CNB