Do you know what’s on your plate?

When you go to a restaurant or grocery store to spend hard-earned money, you want to get what you’re paying for. We all do. Unfortunately, when it comes to seafood, there’s a good chance you’re getting something else. Mislabelled seafood is a big problem in Canada.

Multiple studies have revealed the scope of the problem. The University of British Columbia conducted a study revealing that nearly  a quarter of seafood  in the Lower Mainland of BC was mislabelled. The University of Guelph conducted a study that found that almost  40% of retail seafood  was mislabelled. And Oceana, an ocean advocacy organization, found that  44% of seafood in major Canadian cities  was mislabelled.

At Skipper Otto, we have high standards of traceability and transparency because we want our members to know exactly what they are feeding their families. Our seafood labels  include the common and scientific names for the species as well as details about who caught the seafood and where, when and how they caught it. Sadly, we seem to be the exception, not the rule. Mislabelling is rampant and impacts the wallets and health of Canadians. And it has serious ramifications for the health of oceans and fisheries.

Seafood Fraud & Your Wallet

Oceana found that 74% of incorrectly labelled seafood is listed as a species that is more expensive.

Seafood Fraud & Your Health

Fraudulently labelled seafood often masquerades as a safe option when it is, in fact, a species associated with health risks.

Seafood Fraud & Endangered Species

Illegally caught seafood often enters the marketplace with fraudulent labels that make it appear to be a legal catch.

Boat-to-plate traceability is what we do at Skipper Otto. We can (and do) tell our members exactly who caught every fish and where, when and how they did it. Transparency and traceability really do make a difference. To avoid fraudulent seafood on your own plate, you can buy seafood from businesses that participate in boat-to-table traceability.