The Follow the Fish movement demands consumer information for all seafood
Press Release Date: December 12, 2024
Location: Brussels
Contact:
Irene Campmany | email: icampmany@oceana.org | tel.: +34 682 622 245
Currently, consumers lack basic information on processed seafood like canned tuna and fish fingers – such as species name, origin, which country caught the fish and the catching or production method
The movement urges the European Commission to enhance transparency and require consumer information for all seafood by revising the relevant EU law
Brussels – The Follow the Fish movement calls 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 the director of Oceana’s illegal fishing and transparency campaign in Europe and representative of the Follow the Fish movement, Vanya Vulperhorst.
The Follow the Fish movement 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 that 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 food service sector (mass-caterers, hotels and restaurants) 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 revealed that 84% of citizens in Belgium, France, Spain and Cyprus1 want to know more about the fish they eat, including its origin, species, and how it was caught. The countries analysed are part of the top ten EU consumers of seafood per capita2.
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.
Last week, the Follow the Fish movement held an event at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Thomas Bajada, where guest speakers from civil society organisations, the food service sector, and seafood companies shared their insights on the need for comprehensive information on seafood sold in the EU. They emphasized how stronger information standards can enhance sustainability and foster consumer trust.
