LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) Citing environmental concerns and the threat to marine animals and fish, Tsunami Sushi restaurants will stop giving straws to customers, unless they specifically ask for them.

A post on the Lafayette Tsunami Sushi Facebook page said owners are eliminating drinking straws from all its locations.

“Americans use 500 million straws daily. Straws are now one of the top 10 (#4) marine debris items found on our beaches. And by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. We hope to REDUCE our use of straws because they play a part killing our marine life.”   “Of course we’ll keep some on hand for guests upon request, but hoping they join the movement with us.”

Plastic straws have become a hot-button issue for environmentalists, and interest has surged after a video of marine biologists removing a plastic straw from a sea turtle’s nostril went viral on YouTube