Celebrities campaign against Nobu’s bluefin tuna

Nobu has come under fire from celebrity diners who are campaigning against the Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant serving an endangered fish.

Protesting actors, musicians and models have started a celebrity backlash against Nobu for selling bluefin tuna, which is on the brink of extinction. 

Actresses Sienna Miller and Charlize Theron; musician Sting together with wife Trudie Styler; and model Elle Macpherson are among 31 celebrities who have sent a letter calling on Nobu Matsuhisa to remove the fish from the menus at his global restaurants.

The protest comes after Nobu refused to stop serving bluefin tuna and instead responded by advising diners at its London restaurants to ask for an alternative.

The restaurant had been urged to remove the fish from its menu by Charles Clover in his feature documentary film The End of the Line which examines the effects of the worldwide overfishing crisis.

In the letter to Nobu the celebrities said: "We very much hope that you value our comments as customers and therefore that you will seriously consider our request; allowing us all to dine with a clear conscience."

Nobu said that it “takes the issue of bluefin tuna and its environmentally threatened status very seriously and always has done”.

But it added: “The consumption of this fish is a cultural institution in Japan and there is still an enormous demand for this delicacy at all our restaurants.”

Earlier this week, restaurateurs were urged by Clover and Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens, to back a campaign on sustainable fish.

Nobu warns diners off blue fin tuna at Berkeley Street and Park Lane >>

Campaigners ask restaurateurs to fight for fish >>

M&J Seafood to drop endangered bluefin tuna >>

EU bans bluefin tuna fishing until 2008 >>

Gordon Ramsay to take Bluefin off the menu >>

By Kerstin Kühn

E-mail your comments to Kerstin Kühn here.

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