Report Details Widespread Cases Of Seafood Mislabeling

It is common for fish to be mislabeled as a different species, according to a new report by nonprofit group Oceana. The study, titled "Bait and Switch: How Seafood Fraud Hurts Our Oceans, Our Wallets and Our Health" [pdf] examines the widespread mislabeling of fish in stores and restaurants. The report estimates that seafood fraud occurs in one quarter to over one third of seafood in the U.S.

Red snapper, wild salmon, grouper and Atlantic cod are most commonly mislabeled, with some estimates placing red snapper fraud at almost 90%. The New York Times comments that "tilapia may be the Meryl Streep of seafood, capable of playing almost any role." Other common substitutions include yellowtail for mahi mahi, mako shark for swordfish, sea bass for halibut and pufferfish for monkfish.

Despite the rampant cases of seafood fraud, it remains challenging to reduce the number of occurrences. The New York Times explains, "even the most experienced fishmongers are hard pressed to distinguish certain steaks or fillets without the benefit of scales or fins."

Although, the Los Angeles Times notes, the FDA has been working on a DNA-based method to identify seafood, there is no seafood tracking database currently in place.

In the meantime, most of the onus is now on the consumers. The FDA urges consumers to watch out for unusually low prices for fish that they know generally cost more and Oceana details that processed seafood is more likely to be fraudulent. Unfortunately, at least for the moment, the moral of the story is basically, "buyer beware."

Comments

[mac102751]

05:52 AM on 06/01/2011

This isn't the nation I grew up in. It's going down the toilet.

[RedDog79]

03:31 PM on 06/01/2011

write a letter of thanks to the GOP

[jus2kwik]

01:02 PM on 07/09/2011

Seafood fraud is Bush's fault too, eh? Is there anything at all that isn't?

[cqdeed]

02:15 AM on 06/01/2011

I don't eat fish unless I catch and clean it. But I have often wondered, while in the supermarket, if that beef is really angus. My father used to raise beef and when it is on the plate we couldn't tell one breed from another. His beef were fed only what grew on his place. Can't say they were all grass fed cause he used to turn them into the garden area. They loved watermelon.

[Eenkling]

12:45 AM on 06/01/2011

With all of the garbage that has been leaked into our oceans I wonder why people still eat fish. Mercury, oil, PBC, radiation...the list goes on and on.

[msmarlowe2]

11:55 PM on 05/31/2011

Fish--undoubtedly one of the funniest "Comments" subjects I've encountered.

[almostgeek]

10:59 PM on 05/31/2011

....and.

[jkftl]

10:50 PM on 05/31/2011

Two little anecdotes, if I may...and these practices are still commonplace.
In the 1970s I was part of a commercial fishing operation that also had a retail fish store.
1. There was, among several competing shops in San Diego, a friendly competition for the shop that could prepare and sell shark as the largest variety of other species, successfully.
2. A customer came in one day and asked for a piece of our "Icelandic Cod". While he was waiting, he mentioned pointedly,"Now, don't you try to sell me shark.. I KNOW the difference!". He inspected his filet and nodded with satisfaction. After he left we didn't have to mention to anyone that he had received shark, because everyone knew Icelandic Cod was no longer available.
Much of the same necessary mislabeling happens with ray. It can be artfully and imaginatively prepared as many different species, very often scallops. Actuallly, the ray 'scallops' are tastier and more uniform (important for portion sizing) than the real thing. American consumers are not very well-informed, and will usually buy whatever is plausibly presented.

[thudula]

10:20 PM on 05/31/2011

TILAPIA was unknown until recently. REGISTER TO VOTE at your new address or non address and SPLIT YOUR VOTE. USA Citizens are one paycheck away from HOMELESSNESS

[Leonard Rusciani Jr]

05:58 AM on 06/01/2011

Actually, Tilapia was a historically popular fish. Jesus probably ate Tilapia. It is a fish that is very easy to farm raise, thus its popularity of late. I like fishier tasting fish myself.
Most USA citizens are way more than one paycheck away from homelessness. They also budget for a crisis. When my wife and I were poor, we ate ralot of rice and chicken, clipped coupons, canceled cable and scrapped for everything we needed. We still made the mortgage payment on a 900 sq ft house and were quite happy. Today, people easily dispose of income that is noe "disposable" instead of saving and incesting it. Many people took on mortgages and debt far beyond a reasonable ability to pay.
People have to downsize and learn to budget. They have to live within their means.

[nnaturalbeauty]

09:39 PM on 05/31/2011

I spend my summers in Alaska catching my own salmon and halibut. Spoiled! I wouldn't eat any fish in a restaurant nor would I buy any in any store. There are many east coast businesses that will overnight ship to the west coast for scallops and lobster.

[robertaruth]

08:59 PM on 05/31/2011

I haven't read all the posts on this story, but a quick perusal makes me wonder how many of the complaints about the revelations in this story are from people who are against government regulations. Anyone?

[thymekeeper]

08:15 PM on 05/31/2011

WELL ACORDING TO OUR CONGRESS IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THINGS ARE SOLD ILLEAGLY , AS LONG AS IT HELP THE ECONOMY. SO WHATS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT…JUST CAUSE YOU PAY 99.00 DOLLARS FOR LOBSTER AND REALLY GET ARTIFICIAL CRAB MEAT ITS OK AS TO MS. WESSERMAN, DOING SOMETHING ILLEGLE IS OK AS LONG AS IT HELPS THE ECONOMY. YES SHE DOES REP. ME ON THE HILL AND YES I DID VOTE FOR HER, AND NO I WONT VOTE FOR HER AGAIN. AS LONG AS SHE THINKS BREAKING THE LAW IS FINE AS LONG AS IT HELP BRING MONEY IN. NOW JUST MAYBE SHE WANT THOSE 12,000,000 ILLEAGLES TO BECOME CITIZENS FOR THEIR VOTE..YA THINK.

[babyjesussaysso]

09:52 PM on 05/31/2011

For the sake of humanity turn off your cap lock and run a spell checker.

[Margaret Penny Wood]

01:49 AM on 06/01/2011

Thank you!

[thymekeeper]

10:53 AM on 06/01/2011

Illegals is the correct way to spell the word, but I thought illeagles would bring attention to the American Eagle. You know the one that represents America, missed that did ya.

[Big0725]

08:06 PM on 05/31/2011

Never eat the fish unless you've seen the fish. Or better yet, caught the fish.

[ecurbwl]

07:30 PM on 05/31/2011

I can't believe how honesty has given way to the all mighty dollar. So the next time I order a salmon filet or a sirloin steak, I now have to ask the question, is this real salmon or talapi or a real sirloin and not hamburger ??? Guess I'll stick to being a vegetarian where I know an apple when i see it.

[Big0725]

08:07 PM on 05/31/2011

Kinda hard to confuse sirloin with hamburger.

[joran111]

12:30 AM on 06/01/2011

I don't know if it's still on, but Green or some similar channel had a show called "Future Food" or something. They did stuff like "repurpose" watermelon into fish fillets (for example), or used breakfast cereal to make french fries. If you've seen the program, you know what I'm talking about.

[James Bridges]

05:32 PM on 05/31/2011

Visited a restaurant in Hong Kong where one could be sure of the fish (or other critters) as to type and freshness. They were all in tanks right out front and you picked your fish and told the waiter how you wanted it cooked. There were at least two dozen varieties, many of which the average American would not touch, all of which are quite delicious (or so I was told). We could use more of that in America but we can't all live at the sea coast so......Oh, how to tell the critters from northern Japanese waters? Only at night, when they glowed.

[haroldbfd1]

05:23 PM on 05/31/2011

In the Denver, Colorado area the biggest violators of Truth in Labeling // Country of Origin Labeling is Whole Foods and Albertson Food Store.

[PRUSH]

07:55 PM on 05/31/2011

You obviously know nothing about Seafood or Whole Foods or Albertson purchasing criteria. I sell Whole Foods through distributors throughout the USA. You best be ready to jump through hoops for strict quality and authenticity controls of any seafood product that you present to their buyers. Your comments border on slander. Did you get fired from one of them.

[thymekeeper]

08:23 PM on 05/31/2011

Yet you do not knpw if what is packed is really what you are vselling, unless you are there when the fish is brought in. The only way to be sure is to run dna on what you eat to tell what it really is. i know a lot about fissh, and know for a fact that amberjack is sold as dolphin (Mahi Mahi). Its all in the way it is cleaned and prepared,

[Big0725]

08:08 PM on 05/31/2011

You need to keep your unsubstantiated opinions to yourself.

[babyjesussaysso]

09:55 PM on 05/31/2011

You could direct this at 75% of the posters, so what is the point?

[haroldbfd1]

04:48 PM on 05/31/2011

USDA-FSIS is incapable of enforcing it's own Country of Orgin Labeling Laws--and even more so when it comes to Seafood. Large chain retailers rely on this incpability in their Seafood deptartments--they adamantly refuse to change their ways, even when caught by a consumer.