Costco Cannot Be Trusted - Sea Shepherd Calls for an International Boycott

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COSTCO CANNOT BE TRUSTED - SEA SHEPHERD CALLS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL BOYCOTT

FRIDAY HARBOR, WA, April 6, 2006 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is officially calling for a worldwide boycott of all Costco retail outlets because they have reneged on their promise to stop selling seal oil capsules - a product derived from Canada's annual hunt of over 325,000 wild harp seal pups.

On March 1st, Sea Shepherd received an e-mail from Richard Duffy, the Assistant Vice-President of Costco's Canadian and Eastern U.S. Division stating, "Regarding the sale of seal oil capsules at the Costco warehouse in St. John's, Newfoundland I am providing an e-mail response as a follow up to our phone conversation of earlier today, March 1st. This e-mail will confirm that Costco has made a decision today, March 1st, at the highest levels of Costco management, that it will no longer carry any seal oil capsules in St. John's Newfoundland or any other Costco location in Canada."

It does not get clearer than that. Now, a month later, Costco has reneged on this promise and has mistakenly decided that the interests of one store in Newfoundland are more important than all of Costco's outlets internationally. They announced on the morning of April 5, 2006, that they will resume selling seal oil capsules made from baby harp seals.

When word that Costco had removed the seal oil capsules hit the media in Newfoundland, the negative local controversy solicited the cowardly and false reply that Costco had removed the product because it was not making money and that they had no communications with Sea Shepherd.

Yet, Sea Shepherd has e-mail and phone mail records of negotiations on this issue going back more than a year. "Costco simply lied," said Sea Shepherd Canada spokesperson Steve Thompson. "I handled these negotiations personally and the decision to remove the seal oil capsules was a direct result of our talks."

However, under pressure from the Premier of Newfoundland Danny Williams and the Canadian Minister of Fisheries Loyola Hearn, Costco has waffled yet again and informed the media that they will restock a product obtained through inflicting incredible cruelties to baby harp seals, a so-called "health" product that contains heavy metals and PCB's, and a product that presents a threat to the marine ecology of the Northwest Atlantic.

Costco has decided that to save face in one store in Newfoundland, they are willing to call Sea Shepherd's bluff over an international boycott of all Costco outlets worldwide. It is not a bluff. Sea Shepherd is now officially calling for an international boycott of all Costco retail outlets.

Costco has decided that they would rather support men who viciously club helpless baby seals over people of compassion who are opposing this horrific slaughter of over 325,000 seal pups annually. As long as Costco supports the killing of baby seals, we will not support Costco. We urge animal lovers and conservationists worldwide to send a message to Costco: "We will not shop at Costco outlets while you have baby seal oil capsules on your shelves in your store in Newfoundland."

For pictures and more information, please visit: http://media-seals.seashepherd2.org/

About Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an International non-profit conservation organization whose mission is to defend, conserve, and protect the world's marine wildlife and ecosystems. Their website, www.seashepherd.org, documents SSCS research, direct action, public education and outreach programs, and illustrates how SSCS has continuously worked for decades to eradicate pirate whaling, poaching, shark finning, sealing, unlawful habitat destruction, and other violations of established laws intended to protect the world's oceans. Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd's founder and President, also co-founder of Greenpeace Foundation, is a Director of Sierra Club USA, and is a renowned, respected leader in environmental issues.

For more information, pictures, or to interview Captain Watson:

CONTACT:
Heather Callin
Phone: +1-360-370-5650
Email: media@seashepherd.org
Website: www.seashepherd.org

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