Bad news for conscious consumers who order wild salmon and think they’re avoiding the ecologically dubious farmed stuff.
The latest testing by U.S.-based environmental organization Oceana suggests that nearly half of “wild” salmon in restaurants and grocery stores is actually farmed Atlantic salmon.
“Not only are consumers getting ripped off, but responsible fishermen are being cheated when fraudulent products lower the price for their hard-won catch,” says a statement from Oceana.
Fake wild salmon seems to be more common in winter, when the fish isn’t in season.
Oceana’s study found that restaurants and grocers that offered additional information on the type of salmon they sell (chinook, king, coho, etc) were less likely to mislabel it. Large grocery chains were generally a more honest source than smaller fishmongers and restaurants.
The org is calling for federal regs that mandate catch documentation and full chain traceability. Until then, it’s encouraging shoppers to ask more questions and buy seafood in season. And when in doubt, don’t buy it at all.
See the report here.
ecoholic@nowtoronto.com | @echolicnation
