LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - A new class action lawsuit takes aim at Aldi's claims its tuna products are dolphin-safe.
The suit, filed by plaintiff Elizabeth Henriquez on Aug. 25 in Los Angeles federal court, says the "grim reality" of tuna fishing is that thousands of dolphins and other marine life are seriously injured or killed each year.
The company is exploiting consumers' desires to keep dolphins safe to sell tuna that was fished using methods harmful to them, the suit says. It follows similar cases brought against companies like Starkist.
At issue is the practice of longline fishing, which involves lines that extend over 60 miles with multiple hooks that can catch birds and other marine mammals, the suit says.
"Longline fishing has had a significant harmful impact on marine life," the suit says. "For example, it is estimated that between 1994 and 2002, the Hawaiian pelagic longline fleet resulted in the deaths and serious injuries of 48 whales and dolphins per year.
"In 2016, the Hawaii and American Samoa longline fisheries were considered responsible for injuring 89 out of 101 mammals that interacted with fisheries in these locations."
The Clarkson Law Firm is pursuing the case.