Stop Seafood Fraud
Canada has a seafood fraud problem
Seafood fraud has been found in 44% of samples tested across Canada
The Campaign
Seafood fraud hurts our health, our wallets and our oceans. In order to stop seafood fraud, the Canadian government must implement full boat-to-plate traceability. This is the only way to ensure all seafood sold in Canada is safe, honestly labelled and legally caught.
Sign our petition to tell CFIA to #StopSeafoodFraud
We’ve released a new report, Seafood Fraud and Mislabelling Across Canada, that uncovered widespread mislabelling in five cities in Canada. This report is the most comprehensive investigation into seafood fraud and mislabelling in restaurants and retailers ever conducted in Canada. Nearly 400 samples were tested from food retailers and restaurants in Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria. Of these, 44 per cent were mislabelled.
Read the full report
Seafood fraud hurts our health, our wallets and our oceans.
- Nearly 60 per cent of the substituted samples (97 samples) found in this investigation could have potential health consequences for consumers, making seafood fraud a food safety issue.
- In 74 per cent of instances of mislabelling (124 samples) Oceana Canada uncovered, the fish on the label was a more expensive variety than the fish actually being sold. Economic profit is the primary driver for seafood fraud
- Thirty per cent of the mislabelled samples (41 samples) Oceana Canada found were endangered, threatened or vulnerable species. Eating these fish puts further stress on their depleted populations
The solution
Experience in places like the European Union show traceability rules work to stop fraud and protect both consumers and our oceans. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency had the opportunity to implement requirements under the new Safe Foods for Canadians Regulations, released earlier this summer, which could have ensured that seafood sold in Canada is safe, honestly labeled and legally caught. However, they fell short. The regulations do not address seafood fraud or keep illegally caught seafood out of Canadian supply chains and leave Canada behind international best practices. Full boat-to-plate traceability, paired with comprehensive labelling, can help our health, our wallets, and our oceans.
Sign our petition to tell CFIA we need full boat-to-plate traceability and join the conversation at #StopSeafoodFraud.
Read the report
Sign our petition
Hear from top chefs and industry leaders
Seafood should to be honestly labelled and fully traceable from boat to plate
What We Do
Oceana Canada
We are an independent charity committed to rebuilding Canada’s oceans by winning policy victories that increase biodiversity and abundance through science-based fisheries management. We do this by running campaigns – leveraging law, science, grassroots mobilization and communications – designed to achieve specific policy outcomes that will make a difference for the health of our oceans. Oceana Canada is focused on stopping overfishing, rebuilding fish populations, reducing bycatch, protecting habitat and ending seafood fraud.
Oceana around the World
We are proud to be affiliated with the international family of Oceana organizations. Oceana, Inc., founded in 2001, is the largest international organization focused solely on ocean conservation. The Oceana family includes organizations in Brazil, Belize, Chile, the European Union, Peru, the Philippines and the United States. Globally, Oceana has won more than 100 victories and protected more than 2.5 million square kilometres of habitat.