Oceana finds support for seafood traceability requirements

The poll, by icitizen, surveyed 1,000 registered American voters online from September 15-19. It found 71% believe seafood fraud is a problem in the US and 88% think it is important to know what type of seafood they are eating. Of the three-quarters of Americans that eat or purchase seafood on a monthly basis, 76% would pay more to know seafood is legally caught and honestly labelled. Traceability rule imminent The findings come as the Obama administration is poised to issue a final traceability rule to address seafood fraud. In March last year, the Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud, published an action plan with 15 recommendations . The plan identifies actions that will strengthen enforcement and create a risk-based traceability program to track seafood from harvest to entry into US commerce. In February this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries proposed a rule to create the first phase of a traceability program through collection or retention of data regarding the harvest, landing, and chain of custody of certain fish products imported into the US and identified as particularly vulnerable to IUU fishing and seafood fraud. Beth Lowell, senior campaign director at Oceana, said President Obama has an opportunity to protect Americans from seafood fraud and illegal fishing. “While the proposed seafood traceability program is a great step in the right direction, it’s critical that the Obama administration and Congress commit to expanding it to include all seafood and extending it from boat to plate,” she said. “American consumers have a right to know more about their seafood, including what kind of fish it is, and how and where it was caught or farmed. “Without full-chain traceability for all seafood, consumers will continue to be cheated, hardworking, honest fishermen will continue to be undercut, and the long-term productivity of our oceans will continue to be in jeopardy.” Global research results Earlier this month, the advocacy group said one in five of more than 25,000 samples of seafood tested worldwide were mislabelled based on a review of more than 200 studies. They found mislabeling at retail, wholesale, distribution, import/export, packaging/processing and landing. About 65% of the studies included evidence of economically motivated adulteration of seafood. However, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) said the focus on most often mislabeled species distorts the findings by design. “Oceana’s continued focus on expanded regulation illustrates a fundamental lack of understanding when it comes to fish fraud and what works in policing it. The laws, rules and regulations we need are already on the books. This is an issue of enforcement.”

Oceana finds support for seafood traceability requirements

Oceana has found 83% of Americans support new requirements to eliminate seafood fraud.

Related Topics