Properly labeled fish supplied
and harvested from a trusted source is our best defense against our own lack of
awareness. We are socially capable of
building relations with others who know more about fish characteristics that
reflect our values. It is difficult to
proclaim what fish you should eat especially in our contemporary world that has
so many choices. Nonetheless an informed
choice will be better than an uninformed one because even if you later learn
that your choice was incorrect then at the very least you can own the lesson
that has been learned and increase your understanding while you move forward
and continue to make new decisions. Correctly
labeled fish and especially fish that is traceable to its source allows you the
best opportunity to learn from your decisions and eat fish that may have a
positive net impact on your well being. A
simple and useful label for fish would include the species, point of origin,
date of harvest, location of processing, and proper handling procedure to
assure safe consumption. Fresh fish can
be labeled too. Many groceries and fish
mongers have taken advantage of the FDA’s insufficient labeling requirements
for fresh fish. Research has shown that
mislabeled fish is common in many fish departments. Likewise, if you are eating
mislabeled fish at a restaurant then it is always the fault of the chef. The best organization to share your new
awareness of the importance of proper food labeling for consumers is The Food
and Drug Administration. Let’s demand
better consumer labeling of fish. Here
is a link to the FDA for sharing your concerns http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/default.htm.
Otolith's perspective on mislabeled and insufficiently labeled seafood was shared in part after having read the following article: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/06/21/194334508/how-well-do-you-know-your-fish-fillet-even-chefs-can-be-fooled?sc=tw
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