Almost Half the Time, You're Not Eating the Fish You Think You Are | Alternet

An older article but still important if you are a customer of high end seafood eateries, especially sushi. You may not be eating what you think you are.

From 2010 to 2012, Oceana tested more than 1,200 seafood samples to examine fraudulent labeling. After completing DNA analyses, they found that one-third of fish samples were mislabeled.

The study found that 87 percent of fish labeled "snapper" and 59 percent of fish labeled "tuna" were actually imposters. In fact, " only seven of the 120 samples of red snapper purchased nationwide were actually red snapper." Other commonly mislabeled fishes are halibut, grouper, cod and Chilean seabass. A shocking 74 percent of fish served in sushi restaurants is mislabeled.

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The best way to know what fish you're eating is to build a relationship with a local fisherman, essentially cutting out the middleman. Some food suppliers are using a system called traceandtrust.com where you can scan and look up your fish based on an assigned ID number. Other retailers and restaurants are utilizing QR codes that diners can scan and immediately learn the sustainability of the fish they're about to eat. For chefs, the best thing to do is check out Oceana's list of commonly mislabeled seafood and Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program, which provides consumer suggestions for purchasing seafood.

Almost Half the Time, You're Not Eating the Fish You Think You Are | Alternet