FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mark Abernathy and Six Other Top Arkansas Chefs Vow not to purchase
Canadian seafood until Canada's seal hunt ends

As Little Rock prepares for Super Tuesday, area chefs pledge to take
Canadian seafood off the menu

(Feb. 4, 2008) - The Humane Society of the United States is pleased
to announce that nationally recognized Little Rock chef and
restaurateur, Mark Abernathy, and six other prominent chefs from
Arkansas have joined the ProtectSeals campaign.

Mark Abernathy is the former host and creator of Today's Cuisine, a
nationally syndicated cooking show. He is also the only Arkansas
chef selected to participate in the nationally celebrated Salute to
Southern Chefs. He has been nominated six years in a row. His
restaurants are Loca Luna and Bene Vita. Bon Appetit magazine named
Loca Luna one of the "Best Neighborhood Restaurants" in America and
was featured on Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels. Bene Vita has been
recognized as one of the "Best Italian Restaurants" in the United
States.

When asked why he joined the campaign, Abernathy replied, "Why
wouldn't I join? It's such a simple thing to switch one's seafood
away from Canada. There are so many sources of seafood, wonderful
seafood right here in the United States. If switching to non-
Canadian seafood can help save the lives of hundreds of thousands of
seals, there's no question, I will do my part."

In the coming days, Little Rock can expect its share of reporters,
campaign staffers and candidates. None will find Canadian seafood
on the menu of some of the area's best restaurants.

Little Rock chefs Capi Peck (Trio's), State Rep. Kathy Webb (Lilly's
Dim Sum Then Sum), Peter Brave (Brave New Restaurant), Scott McGehee
(Boulevarde), and Chris Tanner (Cheers in the Heights) and Hot
Springs chef Joe Gargano (Belle Arti Ristorante, Rogers-Belle Arti
Ristorante and Steakhouse and Porterhouse Steak and Seafood) are
joining Abernathy in pledging to stop selling Canadian seafood until
Canada ends its commercial seal hunt. These are some of the most
respected chefs in Arkansas and all share a passion for fine food
and for saving the seals.

These seven chefs are a welcome addition to the long list of well-
known chefs who have joined the ProtectSeals campaign, including
Todd Miller, J. Joho, Michael Romano, Nancy Oakes, Mario Curko, Mary
Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. By encouraging restaurants, chefs
and consumers to not purchase Canadian seafood, The HSUS intends to
convince Canada's fishermen to stop participating in and supporting
that country's commercial seal hunt.

"We couldn't be happier to have Chef Abernathy and his esteemed
colleagues from Little Rock and Hot Springs join our campaign," says
Patricia Ragan, Director of the ProtectSeals campaign. "Together
they are sending a crystal clear message to Canada - killing baby
seals is an unacceptable business practice that must end."

As for views on Canada's commercial seal hunt - the news is
refreshingly bipartisan. Saving baby seals - if little else - enjoys
equally strong support across the political spectrum with the vast
majority of Americans--Democrat, Republican and Independent alike--
opposing Canada's seal hunt. Recently, the US House of
Representatives unanimously passed a resolution calling on Canada to
end its commercial seal hunt. Thanks to chefs like Mark Abernathy,
Kathy Webb, Capi Peck, Peter Brave, Scott McGehee, Chris Tanner and
Joe Gargano that day is fast approaching.

Facts:

The HSUS launched the campaign against Canadian seafood in March
2005.
Seal hunting is an off-season activity conducted by commercial
fishermen from Canada's East Coast.
Restaurants, seafood distributors and grocers participating in the
ProtectSeals campaign pledge to avoid Canadian snow crab, or all
seafood from Eastern Canada, or seafood from all of Canada until the
hunt ends for good.
· Nearly two-thirds of Canadian seafood is exported to the
U.S. producing $2.5 billion annually for the Canadian economy,
compared to well under $20 million generated each year by the
commercial seal hunt.

· Canadian government trade statistics reveal that Canadian
exports of snow crabs - the primary target of the seafood boycott -
to the U.S. have dropped by hundreds of millions of dollars in the
two years since the campaign was launched.

· In addition to the more than 3,000 of companies that are
participating in the campaign, more than 490,000 individuals have
signed pledges not to buy or consume Canadian seafood.

· Canada's commercial seal hunt is the world's largest
slaughter of marine mammals, with more than one million seals killed
in the past three years.

For more information on the campaign to save Canadian seals and to
sign the boycott pledge, please visit humanesociety.org/protectseals.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest
animal protection organization - backed by 10.5 million Americans,
or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been
fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy,
education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting
cruelty -- On the web at humanesociety.org.

The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037
humanesociety.org
Celebrating Animals, Confronting Cruelty