Jimmy's Famous Seafood Spars With PETA Over Crabs

BALTIMORE, MD — After an animal advocacy group posted a billboard urging people to go vegan and avoid eating crabs, a Baltimore restaurateur came up with a message of his own. His billboard, promoting Jimmy's Famous Seafood, is now up 2 miles away.

It started when the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) put up a billboard in late August that said: "I'm ME, Not MEAT. See the Individual. Go Vegan."

PETA's billboard perches atop a restaurant on East Baltimore Street and is visible to drivers along President Street, the artery between Interstate 83 to the north and many downtown eateries.

_{Image courtesy of PETA.}

The billboard bearing the Jimmy's Famous Seafood ad says: "SteaMEd crabs. Here to stay. Get Famous."

It was installed after PETA'S, and mimics the animal rights group's use of capitalization of the word "ME."

The seafood restaurant — which is located at 6526 Holabird Avenue near Dundalk — put its billboard along MD 295 as drivers head toward M&T Bank Stadium from the south.

"It was an attack on our livelihood, on our industry," Jimmy's Famous Seafood owner John Minadakis told Fox News of PETA's campaign.

From restaurant servers to fishermen, Minadakis said the crab industry supports many Marylanders, "So I was not going to take this lying down."

On its part, PETA said that it was trying to provide "food for thought" for diners.

"PETA's billboard aims to give Charm City residents some food for thought about sparing sensitive marine animals the agony of being boiled alive or crushed to death in fishing nets simply by going vegan," PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a statement announcing the campaign. "Just like humans, crabs feel pain and fear, have unique personalities and value their own lives."

This billboard has caused quite a reaction in #Baltimore, but what’s there to disagree with? Crabs are intelligent, loving, & have strong senses of sight, smell, and taste—but in the U.S. hundreds of millions of crabs are killed every year and many are boiled alive #GoVegan pic.twitter.com/rlOvc3AV22
— PETA (@peta) August 29, 2018

PETA announced on Aug. 23 that it had installed a billboard at 801 East Baltimore Street, stating it would remain there through the Baltimore Seafood Festival, which is Sept. 15. The organization reported that it strategically placed its billboard near seafood restaurants like Phillips Seafood, Mo's Fisherman's Wharf, McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

While Jimmy's Famous Seafood was not included in the restaurants it named, the business took affront to the message and made it clear using social media.

Good morning, @peta! pic.twitter.com/Bh1GRhWFO2
— Jimmy's Famous Seafood (@JimmysSeafood) August 24, 2018

Minadakis also took aim at PETA, citing a report that PETA has killed thousands of animals, abducted healthy animals from minorities in particular and also routinely slain pit bulls, a group of dogs it has taken a stand against.

Good morning to everyone but @peta! The Boss wanted us to remind everyone that only a punk would hurt a cat or dog. pic.twitter.com/RDsGyAzh4G
— Jimmy's Famous Seafood (@JimmysSeafood) September 7, 2018

The story about the sparring between PETA and Jimmy's has made it to the viral blog Bored Panda, trade publication Seafood Source and even Yahoo Sports, among other outlets.

"This isn’t the fight we wanted, it’s the fight we got," Minadakis wrote on Facebook. "From Dundalk to Crisfield to Ellicott City, the crab is vital to thousands of Marylanders being able to supply for their families. I’m not sure PETA knew what they were getting themselves into, but I am certain they’re having second thoughts."

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Photo of Jimmy's Famous Seafood billboard on MD 295 by Elizabeth Janney.