Santa Monica sushi restaurant in Los Angeles was recently charged for serving endangered whale meat. On Saturday the restaurant decided to close down for good. According to a statement on Hump’s Website the restaurants decision has been stated as a 'self-imposed punishment’.

The owner and the chef of the restaurant at the Santa Monica Airport were charged by Federal prosecutors for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act, an offense that carries a maximum punishment of one year in prison and a fine of $200,000.

The statement on the website were stated as, "The Hump hopes that by closing its doors, it will help bring awareness to the detrimental effect that illegal whaling has on the preservation of our ocean ecosystems and species".

The offence was exposed by animal activists and the associate producer of the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove" who planned an undercover sting operation.

They recorded their payment of $600 for the omakase, or chef's choice, which included eight pieces of whale by a small video camera.

The samples which the activists picked up from the restaurant were sent to the Marine Mammal Institute who confirmed the samples to be of the endangered species sei whale.