Seafood supply chain collective Follow the Fish has called on the European Commission to require more consumer information on all seafood. To address this lack of transparency, the group met with the head of the Directorate General of the European Commission in charge of maritime affairs and fisheries, Charlina Vitcheva, to demand that the EU revises the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation.
This law sets consumer information requirements for seafood products. While required information for fresh and frozen seafood is comprehensive, processed products currently lack mandatory consumer information on key aspects.
“Consumers have the right to make informed choices about what they eat, including when purchasing popular processed seafood like canned tuna and fish fingers. We urge the EU and the new Fisheries and Oceans Commissioner, Costas Kadis, to create a level playing field by making the same basic requirements apply to all seafood products – whether fresh, frozen, or processed,” said Director of Oceana’s illegal fishing and transparency campaign in Europe and representative of the Follow the Fish movement, Vanya Vulperhorst.
Follow the Fish brings together a variety of key players, such as chefs, members of the European Parliament, restaurants, seafood businesses, wholesalers, producer organisations, consumer associations and NGOs to ensure there is mandatory information on all seafood products. To achieve this, representatives of the movement handed over a joint statement to the European Commission, outlining the following priorities:
- Basic information such as species, origin, fishing gear and production method should be required for all seafood products
- The foodservice sector should provide this basic information to their customers (they are currently exempted from doing so)
- Consumer information should specify the flag state – the country of registration of the fishing vessel – for wild-caught seafood products
A recent poll commissioned by Oceana found 84% of citizens in Belgium, France, Spain and Cyprus want to know more about the fish they eat, including its origin, species, and how it was caught.
Oceana insists that as one of the biggest seafood markets in the world and considering its declared zero-tolerance policy against illegal fishing, the EU should take action on this matter.
Enhanced consumer information would not only benefit citizens but would also help authorities fight illegal fishing, prevent food fraud and human rights violations in supply chains, it said.
Follow the Fish recently held an event at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Thomas Bajada, where guest speakers from civil society organisations, the foodservice sector and seafood companies shared their insights on the need for comprehensive information on fish products sold in the EU, emphasising how stronger information standards can enhance sustainability and foster consumer trust.
