Oceana, restaurant industry demand an end to seafood fraud

News 08:19 23/11/2012 Ngọc Hà
Oceana together with more than 500 chefs, restaurant owners and culinary leaders sent a letter this week to the US Government to require that “seafood is traceable in order to prevent seafood fraud and keep illegal fish out of the US market.”

Led by sustainable chef Barton Seaver, the letter includes signatories from nearly all 50 states, including top chefs Mario Batali and Michael Symon, who are all “committed to serving seafood that protects our oceans, our wallets and our health.”

“Seafood mislabelling is one of the most important issues currently facing the culinary industry,” said Seaver, National Geographic Fellow and author of 'For Cod and Country.' “It’s an honour to join this list of distinguished names in a plea for a nationwide traceability system that will not only help preserve ocean ecosystems for future generations, but will also increase profits and keep illegal fish out of our restaurants.”

Consumers are frequently served mislabelled fish: recent studies show that seafood may be mislabelled as often as 25 to 70 per cent of the time for commonly-swapped species like red snapper, wild salmon and Atlantic cod, disguising species that are less desirable, cheaper or more readily available. Oceana and other groups have recently revealed shocking levels of mislabelling in areas in Boston (48 per cent), Los Angeles (55 per cent) and Miami (31 per cent).

“These chefs and restaurant owners are taking a stand and saying, ‘Enough is enough. We need better information about our seafood in the US. We need traceability,’” declared Beth Lowell, campaign director at Oceana. “Tracing our seafood from boat to plate is the only way to ensure that it’s safe, legal and honestly labelled.”

Two weeks ago, US Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) wrote to Dr Margaret Hamburg, the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urging the agency to fortify its enforcement efforts to deal with the alarmingly high occurrence of seafood fraud.

“It is unacceptable that proven fraud is occurring on such a widespread basis. Seafood fraud is not only deceptive marketing, but it can also pose serious health concerns, particularly for pregnant women seeking to limit exposure to heavy metals or individuals with serious allergies to certain types of fish,” Boxer wrote.

Oceana is currently building support for the Safety and Fraud Enforcement for Seafood (SAFE Seafood) Act (H.R. 6200) introduced by Representatives Edward Markey (D-MA) and Barney Frank (D-MA) in July. The legislation would help stop seafood fraud by requiring full traceability for all seafood sold in the US. 

Bạn đang đọc bài viết Oceana, restaurant industry demand an end to seafood fraud tại chuyên mục News của Hiệp hội VASEP

TIN MỚI CẬP NHẬT

Da Nang completes EC recommendations, accelerates efforts to lift IUU “yellow card”

 |  10:50 11/04/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.

Red tilapia farming opens up an effective economic development path in Da Nang

 |  10:42 09/04/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.

Ninh Binh promotes tilapia farming with a focus on high-quality seed

 |  10:30 06/04/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.

Ca Mau promotes scaling up RAS-IMTA shrimp farming model toward sustainable development

 |  10:11 01/04/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).

Ho Chi Minh City approves aquatic animal disease prevention and control plan for 2026–2030

 |  10:07 30/03/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Chile’s tuna imports surge in 2025, can Vietnamese tuna accelerate?

 |  09:59 28/03/2026

(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.

Vinh Long promotes sustainable development of brackish water shrimp farming

 |  09:28 26/03/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.

Ha Tinh tightens shrimp seed management to reduce risks for spring–summer crop

 |  09:25 24/03/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.

Vietnam pangasius exports in February 2026: China remains the leading market

 |  09:23 22/03/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.

Da Nang promotes high-tech shrimp farming

 |  09:06 20/03/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.

VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM

Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội

Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO

Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu

Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn

Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh

Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn

VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn

© Copyright 2020 - Mọi hình thức sao chép phải được sự chấp thuận bằng văn bản của VASEP

DANH MỤC