March 7, 2013
Congress Acts to Stop Seafood Fraud After Oceana Report
On the heels of a sweeping Oceana investigation that found that 33 percent of 1,215 seafood samples tested nationwide were mislabeled, Congress has taken action. On Wednesday Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced the Safety and Fraud Enforcement for Seafood (SAFE Seafood) Act to ensure that seafood is traceable “from sea to sale”.
According to a report by the Government Accountability Office only 2 percent of seafood imported to the United States is inspected at all, and only .001 percent is inspected for fraud.
Oceana campaign director Beth Lowell lauded the new legislation:
“Americans deserve to know more about the seafood they purchase, including the species name, where, when, and how it was caught, if it was farmed or previously frozen, and if any additives were used during processing.
By requiring fish to be tracked from boat to plate, the SAFE Seafood Act will protect our wallets, our health and our oceans.”
Rep. Markey was joined in the legislation by original co-sponsors Walter Jones (R-NC), John Tierney (D-MA), Bill Keating (D-MA), Lois Capps (D-CA) and Jo Bonner (R-AL). Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) is expected to introduce a companion bill in the Senate in the coming days.
Learn more about Oceana’s seafood fraud investigation.