Greenpeace leads Label My Fish campaign intended to raise awareness of the importance of labelling laws. (Image Credit: Greenpeace)
Seafood labelling campaign raises controversial views
AUSTRALIA
Friday, October 17, 2014, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
Several conservationists, scientists, fishermen and fish-lovers have teamed up to urge Australian authorities to follow the European Union on seafood labelling laws whereas certain caterers and importers question the move.
This massive Label My Fish campaign, led by Greenpeace, has been to encourage the use of sustainable fishing methods, boost the local fishing industry and lift public health protections.
The campaign has been supported by the NGO representatives, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, Zoos Victoria and Taronga Zoo, Sea Life Trust, as well as prominent fish-lover actor Richard Roxburgh, Quay chef Peter Gilmore and New York Times best-selling ‘I Quit Sugar’ author Sarah Wilson.
“This is a campaign about our right to know what we are eating but it’s also vital for ocean protection,” wrote SBS’s Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans in an e-mail sent to FIS.
Evans also explained that at present over 90 per cent of the world’s fisheries are depleted, over-exploited or fished to their limit and deemed it essential for consumers to make informed and sustainable decisions, given that 70 per cent or so of Australia’s seafood is imported.
Besides, according to Greenpeace while pregnant women and children under six are warned by health experts to limit their consumption of certain species, such as shark (sold as flake), catfish and orange roughy, because of mercury content, the labelling laws make it impossible for these consumers to follow the warnings, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
There have also been similar requests from Australian fishermen and a Senate inquiry examining whether new laws should be introduced forcing the hospitality sector to disclose more information to consumers, ABC News informed.
On the other hand, certain groups are against the move for seafood labelling.
Restaurant and Catering Australia opposes the calls, saying the industry will lose AUD 300 million (USD 263 million) a year to comply with such laws. The "onerous" task will require updating menus, reconfiguring back-end systems and maintaining compliance.
Besides, from the Seafood Importers Association of Australasia labelling has been considered unnecessary, questioning the fact that consumers need to have data about all kinds of products, not just seafood.
Furthermore, Pavo Walker from Walker Seafoods Australia claimed consumers had no way of knowing if what they purchased was sustainably caught.
"We pay very high management costs to the Australian Government to operate our fisheries here sustainably and it's very difficult for us to compete with countries that have little or no regulation," he pointed out.
Walker added that while Australia exports products to countries that are more aware of sustainability such as Switzerland, it imports “inferior and unsustainably caught products."
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