Page 12
The Battalion
Monday, April 16,19|
StarKist supports
6 dolphin-free’ tuna
WASHINGTON (AP) — StarKist, the world’s
largest tuna canner, said Thursday it will no
longer buy or sell tuna captured along with dol
phins, winning strong praise from environmen
talists who have long sought to protect dolphins
from fishing nets.
Environmentalists and lawmakers said they
hoped the move would save some of the esti
mated 100,000 dolphins that die annually in the
huge driftnets used to catch schools of tuna.
“StarKist will not purchase any tuna caught in
association with dolphins,” said Anthony J.F.
O’Reilly, president or the HJ. Heinz Co., which
owns the StarKist Seafood Co.
“StarKist will sell only dolphin-free tuna,” he
said at a news conference.
The change could cost consumers “a couple or
more cents” per can, O’Reilly said, adding that he
hoped sales would increase with the announce
ment and that some increased costs “will be com
pensated by increased volume.”
StarKist has a 35 percent share of the U.S.
tuna market and is the world’s largest tuna can-
Leslie Scheele of Greenpeace, which backs a
worldwide boycott of tuna caught with driftnets,
called the announcement “without a doubt one
of the biggest steps that could be taken in order
to preserve dolphins in the Eastern Tropical Pa
cific in probably the last 20-30 years.”
Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Dek, who is sponsoring
legislation to require canners to label tuna that is
caught by nets that ensnare dolphins, said the an
nouncement made StarKist “not only the largest
but the most enlightened” tuna canner in the
world.
Rep. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., author of the
Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act
of 1990, said in a statement read by Biden: “Now
Charlie the Tuna has a reason to smile.” Charlie
the Tuna is an animated character used in StarK
ist tuna advertisements.
Although the new policy was aimed at fishing
in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, StarKist said the
VoU
company also would continue to refuse to bi
fish caught anywhere with gill or drift nets.
StarKist President Keith Hauge said the com
pany would require its suppliers to have obsen
ers on their vessels to certify the driftnets are ns
used.
He said the company would offer assistance in
finding financial backing for fishermen 4)
want to halt net fishing and refit boats to motet
other waters.
Experts say about 10 percent of the world 1
tuna is caught in nets. The United Nations Get
eral Assembly last year unanimously voted fora:
end to driltnet fishing in the South Pacificit
1991 and a global ban a year later.
International fishing fleets began using lit ^“
huge nets, which stretch up to 30 miles, tocattl
tuna in the 1950s.
But environmentalists say about 100
phins are trapped and killed each year becaiii
the dolphins swim on the surface of water inhab
ited bv tuna.
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Mickey D's Arcade™
Now open at the Univ. Dr. Location
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Entries Open: April 9
Entries Close: April 17
Softball Hitting
No Entry Fee! Competition Date: April 23
Entries Open: April 16 Entries Close: April 26
Fun Run
No Entry Fee! Competition Date: April 28
Penberthy Tournament Honors Intramural Founder
Entries for theEleventh Annual
Penberthy Softball Tourna
ment will close April 17. The
tournament, played in mem
ory of Texas A&M Intramural
founder Walter Penberthy, will
take place April 20-22, begin
ning with opening ceremonies
at Penberthy Complex, 4:45
pm Friday, April 20. Entry fee
is $40 per team. For more in
formation, contact Tom Reber
at 845-7826.
Final Swim Meet Dates are as follows:
B/CS Area Merchants Sponsor
SLowpitch Softball Tournament
Photo by Tim Byra
Corps and Fish Prelims ....Monday, April 16 7:30
Rain Date Tuesday, April 17 7:30
Divisionals Wednesday, April 18 7:30
Rain Date Thursday, April 19 7:30
All-University Finals Monday, April 23 7:30
Rain Date Wednesday, April 25 7:30
Teams will compete in "one of
Texas' largest tournaments
every year," April 27-30 at
Bryan Regional Athletic
Complex, Central Park in
College Station. The B/CS
Merchants' Annual Slowpitch
Softball Tournament attracts
huge numbers of participants
with prizes ranging from tro
phies to gift certificates. Entry
fee is $125 per team, and the
deadline for entry is April 25.
In addition to the tournament,
family recreational acitivities,
arts and crafts, and live enter
tainment will be presented -
part of the 1990 Bryan
Sportsfest. For more informa
tion, call Tom at 845-7826.
Acknowledgements: McDonald’s Rec Sports Highlights is
sored by your local McDonald's Restaurant at University Drive,!
East Mall, Hwy 21 .Texas Ave. at SW Parkway and Post Oak Mall.1
ad isacreationof Mark Figart and P.J. Miller. Photographs are by Ret
Sports photographers.
ft
Fun in the Sun”
Photo by Tim Byrd
TAMU Men’s Waterpolo will host a tournament Friday
through Sunday, April 20-22.
MONDAY
April 16
TUESDAY
April 17
at ARC Park, Fort Worth
The University of Texas at
Arlington, Texas Christian
University, and the University
of North Texas have teamed
up to sponsor the first annual
"Fun in the Sun," April 21,
from 10 am to finish, at ARC
Park in Fort Worth. Teams
from across the state will
compete in Men's and CoRec
Softball and Sand Volleyball,
and Men's and Women's 3-on-
3 Basketball. Fees for each
team are $25, and a $1 charge
(with student i.d.) per partici
pant will be collected at the
gate. Participants are limited
to one sport. Any student with
valid i.d card may play, and no
varsity player may play in their
sport. First place teams in each
division receive awards. For
more information, contact Tom
Reber at 845-7826.
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April 19
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SATURDAY
April 21
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April 22
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(Entries CloseT)
Fun Run
Softball Hitting
Penberthy Softball Tourna
ment
Captains' Meeting:
Penberthy Softball
Tournament
6 pm, 167 Read
Penberthy Softball
Tournament
Opening Ceremonies
4 :45 pm
Rock Climbing at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area