BSB Resources

Explore all of the Better Seafood Board collection of Resources, Downloads, links, and multimedia features.

Did You Know?

Did You Know?FDA States that "White Roughy" not Acceptable Market Name for Basa. NFI received a letter from FDA this past week clarifying the agency's policy for the use of the term "white roughy" for basa fish.

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Did You Know?

basa fish and roughy

White Roughy is not an acceptable Market Name for Basa

In a letter to NFI, FDA clarified the agency’s policy for the use of the term “white roughy” for basa. FDA believes that marketing basa or any other fish in the Pangasiidae family as “white roughy” is misleading to the consumer. Fish known as “roughies” such as “orange roughy” are classified differently from Basa and command a higher value in the marketplace. Misleading fish names violate the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Better Seafood Board

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About the Better Seafood Board

Members of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) have taken a pledge to stamp out economic fraud in the seafood industry.

The Better Seafood Board (BSB) was formed in 2007 to support the commitment of NFI members to abide by industry principles of economic integrity by not selling seafood that is short in weight or count, that has the wrong name, or that has been transshipped from one country to another to circumvent duties and tariffs.

The BSB, an organization governed independently from NFI, provides the mechanism for industry's partners in the supply chain - restaurants, retail operations, further manufacturers - to report suppliers committing economic fraud. Seafood buyers who have unresolved issues with their suppliers for selling short weight or otherwise mislabeled products are encouraged to contact the BSB call center at 1-866-956-4BSB (or 1-866-956-4272) to document these issues.

Suppliers who cheat customers cheat the entire industry. Suppliers, restaurants and retailers who follow the rules often get penalized in the marketplace. Fair and lawful business practices are essential for ensuring consumer confidence in seafood – the entire supply chain is responsible for maintaining this confidence.

In The News

September 1, 2010, Chicago, Illinois
Charges Filed for Honey Import Fraud

The Department of Justice announced the indictment of eleven individuals and six corporations for allegedly participating in an international conspiracy to illegally import honey from China that was mislabeled as coming from other countries to avoid antidumping duties and included honey that was adulterated with antibiotics not approved for use in honey production.  The alleged fraud, over a seven-year period, avoided payment of nearly $80 million in US antidumping duties. 

The announcement states that the “crime of importing mislabeled and adulterated goods restricts U.S. competitiveness in domestic and world markets and creates an uneven playing field for American businesses and honey importers and packers who play by the rules” and that the federal government will “aggressively investigate those who violate the laws and regulations that are put in place to protect U.S. businesses and the American public.”

August 25, 2010
FDA Debars Seafood Importer

FDA announces an order to debar seafood importer, Su Van Ho, for a period of 15 years from importing or offering to import food into the United States.  In 2009, Mr. Ho pled guilty to 3 charges of violations of US law for using a fraudulent commercial invoice to falsely describe frozen silk worms as frozen dade fish, selling Salmonella-contaminated frozen featherback fish, and substituting an unrelated shipment of featherback fish for a Salmonella-contaminated shipment that was subject to an FDA order for exportation or destruction.  These actions occurred in 2003 and 2004 when Mr. Ho owned and operated the seafood import and distribution company, Vincent Seafood and Trading.  Mr. Ho failed to respond to FDA’ s offer for a hearing. 

Are Maxport and other companies offering to help you break the law?

Are Maxport and other companies offering to help you break the law?

FDA Guidance

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FDA Published Guidance to Acceptable Market Names for Seafood FDA has posted on the agency's website an updated guidance on acceptable market names for seafood and an updated, searchable Seafood List.

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FDA Guidelines

basa fish and roughy

FDA Publishes Guidance to Acceptable Market Names for Seafood

FDA has posted on the agency's website updated guidance on determining acceptable market names for seafood along with a searchable Seafood List. The document is intended to provide guidance to industry about what FDA considers to be acceptable market names for seafood sold in interstate commerce and to assist manufacturers in labeling seafood products. The Seafood List provides information to assist manufacturers in properly labeling seafood and to reflect the acceptable market names of new species introduced into the U.S. marketplace. Included in the guidance document is a section outlining the principles for determining acceptable market names which outlines FDA thinking in evaluating whether or not a name is an acceptable market name. We encourage you to share this FDA Guidance Document and updated Seafood List with your suppliers and customers to support your commitment to ensuring that your products are labeled with the correct species identification.

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