Responsible fish labelling (Full Version)

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Ian Stagles -> Responsible fish labelling (28 August 2004 20:14:46)

It occurred to me, watching a program about world fisheries in decline on SBS, that we should have an *environmentally acceptable* label to be displayed on all seafood sold at retail seafood outlets in Western Australia.

There is a world organisation, the Seafood Council I think, that gives out medals for major fisheries, but what about the smaller one's that can and do cause heaps of environmental damage?

A green shield of approval could be displayed to show which products are taken from West Australian seafood stocks stocks that are healthy AND that are equitable/agreeably shared between all sectors. For example you would give a shield to rock lobster but probably not to dhufish or red emperor. Black bream wouldn't get a shield but yellow finned whiting would and so on.

My wife tries to only buy seafood that not under threat or mismanaged to the point where there are concerns about sustainability at reasonable stock levels. What do you think about the idea?



David Findlay -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (28 August 2004 21:00:18)

Although I try very hard to catch my own fish!!, on the odd ocassion that I have to buy it I always make a point of asking the[usually 16yo] behind the counter where the fish was caught and did it come from a managed fishery.

Lot's of blank stares, followed by the get the manager who will sprout a carefully rehearsed line about how the "fresh food people" only source the product from the most "reliable" source, whatever that is.

I believe that most suppliers are increasingly sensitive to queries about where the product [whatever it is ] comes from so perhaps we could all make an effort to probe on these questions.



Jim Singleton -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (28 August 2004 21:19:01)

quote:

Lot's of blank stares, followed by the get the manager who will sprout a carefully rehearsed line about how the "fresh food people" only source the product from the most "reliable" source, whatever that is.


I like that statement....... source the product from the most reliable source which means that you don't know what it is or where it came from.

How often is the stuff we buy from the supermarkets, hoki or nile perch and called something else?[:-]

I remember being at an up-market seafood restaurant some time back with a number of eminent professionals in marine biology and what they ordered from the menu wasn't what they got!



David Findlay -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (28 August 2004 21:25:32)

It would have to frighten your average restaraunter $%#@less to have a marine biologist type say to him, " I know my barra from my guppy, so you had better serve what you had listed on the menu or you are in a world of trouble!".

Both the penalties involved and the damage to reputations would be nasty.



Ron Pearson -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (28 August 2004 22:08:33)

Hi Jim

I have seen fish in a 'fresh food' outlet incorrectly labelled - and the young lady serving had no idea what she was selling - she said the label 'must be' correct. Take a look in some of the shops - some very dubious labels on some fillets - to my eye some definitely don't match my knowledge of particular fish. Outlets that cook fish have an even easiler job - a cook can cover nearly everything except texture - I refuse to buy any form of fish now days - eat only beef when out & about. Besides - haven't seen a cook that can match the good wife's fish feeds!



Phil Hodgson -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (29 August 2004 13:22:01)

Stages
Sidetracking slightly.
Can you trust a label ? in particular when related to fish.
Seems to me there is a" tradition" of deliberate false labelling/advertising.Why should it change?and how could you guarantee compliance?

My local Fish shop sells all the usual "local" favorites at varying prices but when asked for some fish frames for crab bait all he could provide was shark cartilage.

I think the public is well aware that when ordering and paying for fish they rarely get what they pay for. The practice is so common that it is accepted.



Arnold Tucker -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (29 August 2004 17:03:09)

Ian

Personaly I think that it wouldn't be a bad idea for this type of system to be used because any sought of public awareness has got to be better than none. We as fishers may have an idea of what type fish or product that is on display but the average consumer more than likely woudn't know which of the products that they are buying are being put under so much pressure. The lesser the demand the lesser the pressure , Well in theory anyway.
Not everyone's into fishing but more care than we may realise.



Cheers Arnold



Ian Stagles -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (30 August 2004 8:38:21)

quote:

Can you trust a label ? in particular when related to fish.
Seems to me there is a" tradition" of deliberate false labelling/advertising.Why should it change?and how could you guarantee compliance?

You could if an organisation such as Recfishwest provided the Green Shield of approval labels.



Phil Hodgson -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (30 August 2004 12:59:21)

Stages
I hear you!
Might even work if the "paid up members list" was of a size that demanded respect from the legislators.

[sm=icon_wallbash.gif][sm=icon_wallbash.gif][sm=icon_wallbash.gif]



Ken Lindsay -> RE: Responsible fish labelling (30 August 2004 17:41:58)

I admire many of the sentiments here and I believe that Australians generally have a well developed sense of what needs to be done to sustain the nation's fisheries. What is of concern to me is that where I live (being inland) fresh fish is available, but mostly Adriatic sea bass and snapper variants. So far no real problem. What is also available Europe wide is an enormous amount of processed & packaged fish. Also if you wander the fish markets of southern Europe, as I have, there seems to be little regard for size, quantity or quality. Pile it up and sell it (sometimes cheap).

The relationship here is that as you increasingly see foreign fishing operations in Southern waters, that they will seek to exploit the richness of the waters and even if they are beyond our borders, the impact will be felt. I don't think the Asians are necessarily a threat here, my concern sits more with Spanish companies. Look at the Grand Banks. I would therefore advocate not only pressure on these fishing operations to comply with net size, catch quantities etc, but that Australian fisheries be truly Australian and forced to fully comply with stringent regulations, including fish labelling.



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