Lawsuit: Red Lobster Made 'Deceptive' Claims About Its Lobsters

Red Lobster has been making some fishy claims about its product, according to a class- action lawsuit filed in California. According to court documents, the plaintiffs say the chain markets its lobster and shrimp as "sustainable" and "responsible" when the truth is very different, IntraFish reports. The lawsuit, which accuses Red Lobster of making deceptive claims, says the chain's Maine lobster comes from suppliers who use "environmentally destructive practices that threaten endangered populations of North American right whales." Part of the Maine lobster fishery lost its Marine Stewardship Council certification last year after a judge ruled that it was a threat to whales.

The lawsuit also states that Red Lobster's shrimp comes from sources that "do not employ the highest environmental or animal welfare standards," including farms in Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and China. The lawsuit calls for the chain to pay damages to consumers and drop its claims of sustainability. Red Lobster declined to comment on the suit, but Marianne LaCroix, executive director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, tells Maine Public Radio that it is misguided. "The fishermen and the state have been working to protect right whales for over 20 years now and have made great strides," she says. " (More lobster stories.)