Environmental impacts of seafood mislabeling

Seafood mislabeling may have broad, harmful effects on marine population health and fishery management, a study finds. Reports of seafood mislabeling have increased over the past decade, but evidence of its environmental impacts has been limited and largely anecdotal. Kailin Kroetz and colleagues analyzed trade, production, and mislabeling data to characterize various effects of seafood mislabeling in the United States. An estimated 190,000-250,000 tons of mislabeled seafood products are sold in the United States each year, representing approximately 3.4-4.3% of consumed seafood. Compared with the expected products listed on the label, the corresponding substitute products were 28% more likely to be imported from other countries, which may have weaker environmental laws than the United States. Approximately 58% of mislabeled seafood consumed were exclusively wild-caught products, whereas the remaining 42% were potentially farmed. Compared with the expected products listed on the label, the corresponding substitute products scored worse on measures of fishery management effectiveness and marine population health, which covered factors such as abundance, bycatch, and discards. According to the authors, collaborative approaches are needed to reduce seafood mislabeling and its wide-ranging negative impacts.

Article #20-03741: “Consequences of seafood mislabeling for marine populations and fisheries management,” by Kailin Kroetz et al.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kailin Kroetz, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; tel: 480-965-4164; e-mail:

kailin.kroetz@asu.edu

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