Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- make a case / meɪk ə keɪs / (idiom) – to give reasons or arguments to support an idea or decision
Example:The lawyer made a case that his client was innocent by showing video evidence from the night of the crime.
- goodwill / ˈgʊdˈwɪl / (n.) – (in business) the extra value of a business that is beyond what it owns, such as a good name and customers’ trust
Example:Even though the store was small, its goodwill was high because people in town loved shopping there.
- adequately / ˈæd ɪ kwɪt li / (adv.) – in a way that is enough or acceptable
Example:Pia adequately explained the rules of the game so everyone could understand.
- entanglement / ɛnˈtæŋ gəl mənt / (n.) – a situation where something is caught or twisted around something else
Example:The fisherman had to cut the net to free the fish from the entanglement of ropes.
- baseless / ˈbeɪs lɪs / (adj.) – not based on facts
Example:The news about the singer retiring is baseless because she just announced a new tour.
Article
Read the text below.
A group of lobster fishermen can sue one of the world’s largest seafood watchdog groups for defamation, a federal court has ruled, over a report that described Maine lobster as an unwise choice for consumers.
The threat to a rare whale species from getting tangled in fishing gear has prompted Monterey Bay Aquarium in California to caution against eating a variety of lobster that New England fishermen have harvested for centuries.
Seafood Watch, a conservation program operated by the aquarium, placed lobster from the U.S. and Canada on its do-not-eat “red list” in 2022. Some retailers pulled lobster from stores after the recommendation.
Judge John Woodcock ruled in February that the fishermen made a case that they suffered damage to their industry’s reputation as a result of the red-listing after the aquarium made a bid in the U.S. District Court in Maine to have the 2023 lawsuit tossed. A spokesperson for the aquarium said the institution filed an appeal, but Woodcock’s ruling means the lawsuit is moving forward.
“Reputation and goodwill cannot be adequately replaced through awarding damages and this injury lingers as long as the ‘red listing’ does,” Woodcock wrote.
The lobster industry, based largely in Maine, is one of the most lucrative fisheries in the U.S., valued at more than half a billion dollars at the docks last year. Entanglement in lobster gear is also one of the most significant threats to the North Atlantic right whale, which numbers less than 400.
The aquarium has a right to communicate its recommendations to the public, said Emerson Brown, the spokesperson for the aquarium. Brown said the aquarium appealed “to protect our ability to share critical information with the public.”
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association, one of the groups that filed the lawsuit, described Woodcock’s decision as “significant” in a statement.
“Maine lobstermen have been stewards of the ocean for generations, and we are committed to defending our livelihood against baseless claims,” said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the association.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Emerson Brown said that Monterey Bay Aquarium has a right to communicate its recommendations to the public. Do you agree with him? Why or why not? Do you think organizations should be free to communicate warnings and bad reviews even if it hurts an entire industry? Why do you say so? Discuss.
- Do you think warning labels or “do-not-buy” lists actually influence consumer behavior? Why or why not? Have you ever changed your habits because of a scientific report or expert recommendation? If so, what convinced you to change? Discuss.
Discussion B
- According to Judge John Woodcock, a company’s reputation and goodwill cannot be adequately restored by paying damages, and the harm lasts as long as the ‘red listing’ continues. Do you agree with him? Why or why not? Why do you think he said this? Discuss.
- How important is a company or industry’s reputation when it comes to buyers’ decisions? How does being on a ‘red list’ continue to harm a company, even if they try to fix their mistakes? Discuss.
