$40,000 for falsely labeled "Dolphin Safe" tuna.

The International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) is celebrating a major court case against smugglers bringing Dolores tuna into the US from Mexico with a phony Amigo de Delfin (Dolphin Friendly) stamp on the cans. In San Diego federal court, Salvador Garcia Sandoval, owner of Mexican Trade Grocery of Chula Vista, California, pleaded guilty to importing more than 1,600 cases of dolphin-deadly tuna. He agreed to pay the US government $40,000 in back duty payments and $1,975 to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries for administrative costs.

"This case will send a warning to all markets and grocers in the US," states David Phillips, executive director of IMMP. "Falsely labeled tuna hurts dolphins, US consumers, and US tuna companies that have adopted 'Dolphin Safe' tuna fishing practices. American consumers deserve to know whether the tuna they buy was caught by methods that harm dolphins or not."

IMMP, reacting to reports of illegal tuna showing up in US supermarkets, conducted an investigation and documented that Dolores tuna, canned in Mazatlan, was being sold as "Dolphin Friendly" in many US stores. Dolores tuna is canned by PINSA, the largest cannery in Mexico, which has a fleet of purse seine boats that chase and net dolphins to catch the tuna, killing many dolphins in the process. More than seven million dolphins have been killed in the tuna fishery since the late 1950s when large purse seine nets were first introduced.

Earth Island contacted investigators with NOAA Fisheries, who, in concert with US Customs, caught a truckload of Dolores tuna at the border. The load of tuna was traced to TBA Mexican Trade Grocery. Maximum penalty for fraudulent importation of merchandise is five years in jail and a $250,000 fine. IMMP continues to work to find dolphin-deadly tuna in US markets and educate storeowners about the dangers of such tuna to dolphins.

Take action: If you find tuna without a "Dolphin Safe" laber or "Dolores" tuna with a phony "Amigo del Delfin" label, contact IMMP at 300 Broadway, Suite 28, San Francisco, CA 94133; [phone] (voice); (415) 7887324 (fax); [e-mail]. Include the name and address of the store. Better yet, send us a can in the mail.