If you remember the ridiculous and unnecessary “Give Swordfish a Break” campaign foisted on us by SeaWeb and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), this will sound eerily familiar. The same two groups are launching their latest nannying effort, which they call “Roe to Ruin.” SeaWeb and NRDC claim that the beluga sturgeon is on the brink of extinction, despite the fact that the US government has never even considered listing the fish as an endangered species. The “Roe to Ruin” campaign will use the same techniques as “Give Swordfish a Break” did: SeaWeb and NRDC plan to intensely lobby celebrity chefs and members of Chefs Collaborative, in an attempt to get as many restaurants as possible to swear off all caviar. The only endorsed exception will be roe from farm-raised fish, most of which happens to be marketed by groups connected to Chefs Collaborative and other arms of the “natural foods” and “organic foods” industries.
