Aquarium survives lobstermen’s defamation claim

BOSTON — The First Circuit held that the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, which urged the public not to eat lobsters because lobster fishing can harm endangered North Atlantic right whales, cannot be sued for defamation by assorted members of the Maine lobster industry. Under Maine law, defamation of a large group isn’t actionable unless “the statement or its context indicates that it is targeted at specific members of the group.”Read the ruling here.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads