Expanded DNA testing of seafood by regulators applauded
November 3, Washington, DC – As part of a conference call with members of the National Fisheries Institute, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discussed plans to ramp up its new DNA fish testing program. Over just the next few months regulators say they will be pulling 100 samples from imports, warehouses, and distribution centers. This pilot will enable FDA to focus its future efforts, which are expected to include pulling close to 1,000 samples. Because FDA believes much of the species mislabeling happens at the retail level it also has plans to collaborate with the state regulatory agencies as part of the crackdown. “This is the type of effort we’ve wanted to see for a long time,” said Lisa Weddig, Secretary of the Better Seafood Board (BSB.) “When FDA is out there testing and enforcing the law it makes fraud a lot harder to perpetrate. Whether it’s on a menu or bill of sale, seafood needs be labeled properly and operations that don’t take that seriously should be on notice; a new commitment and a new data base are in the market now.” According to the FDA Office of Regulatory Science nine labs now have the ability to sequence seafood samples and determine if they are labeled correctly. “Recommitted regulators armed with DNA testing will be able to cut through the finger pointing and buck passing and hopefully have an impact on the type of fraud we’ve heard so much about in the past few weeks,” said Weddig. All members of the National Fisheries Institute are also members of the Better Seafood Board. The BSB encourages retailers, restaurants and consumers to ask their seafood suppliers if they are members of the BSB and if not, why not?
The Better Seafood Board (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industry’s partners in the supply chain – restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud. ###
Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons(703)752-8891ggibbons@nfi.org
Flurry of DNA testing reports renews interest in seafood fraud
October 28 Washington, DC – The Boston Globe’s recent investigation into the mislabeling of fish, and a flurry of later reports designed to replicate the Globe’s investigation, are highlighting issues of economic integrity and seafood. “There have been a number of media reports about DNA testing in the last five days that alleged fish fraud. For the past five years, rooting out fraud has been the focus of the Better Seafood Board,” said BSB secretary Lisa Weddig. All members of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) are committed to the BSB and have pledged to label species correctly and report weights accurately. “We stand ready to work with restaurants and retailers who are interested in making sure the supply chain is free of fraud,” said Weddig. “If businesses want to ensure that they’re working with a reputable supplier they can simply ask if the provider is a BSB member, and if they aren’t they should ask, why not?” “Committing to putting the right fish, at the right weight, in the right box is one thing,” said NFI President John Connelly. “But understanding how we can contribute to fixing this fraud long term by supporting efforts to make sure the Food and Drug Administration is fully funded is another. NFI members, through the BSB, do both.” The BSB regularly reports suspected cases of fish fraud to the FDA and has worked with federal and state weights and measures officials to crack down on illegal practices.
The Better Seafood Bureau (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industry’s partners in the supply chain – restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud. ###
Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons(703) 752-8891ggibbons@nfi.org
Reputation on the Line September 2011.pdf
American Scallop Association “won’t tolerate cheating”
November 5, 2010 Washington, DC – The largest scallop suppliers in the United States have drawn a line in the sand, telling cheaters in their industry to “clean up your act.” “We are happy to see members of the seafood community step up and say enough is enough,” said Lisa Weddig, secretary of the Better Seafood Board (BSB.) “In this case the scallop folks have committed to working with an independent, third-party auditing firm. That’s certainly a step in the right direction.” The American Scallop Association (ASA) announced Friday that not only had its members agreed to an economic integrity pledge but that they were also working to engage the National Marine Fisheries Service’s inspection service and some state agencies to address issues of fraud. “From the beginning, the BSB has said our community needs to work with regulators to help them do their jobs fairly and accurately, while weeding out bad actors,” said Weddig. ASA’s program will focus on accurate labeling and short weighting. “Change from within can be the most powerful kind,” said Weddig. “The more we hear about commitments to economic integrity the more we’re convinced real change is in the works.”
The Better Seafood Board (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industry’s partners in the supply chain – restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud. ###
Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons(703) 752-8891ggibbons@nfi.org
Better Seafood Board
7918 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 700
McLean, VA 22102
(703)752-8880
bsb@nfi.org
Let’s be honest. If you haven’t seen stories in the media recently about an increased interest in ferreting out seafood fraud you’ve been living under a rock. Busts for short-weighted fish, mislabeled species and tariff violations are up and just about every wanna be Woodward and Bernstein is reporting on it- the pescatarian perp walk is almost becoming common place.
BSB sees crackdown as adding “teeth” to enforcement efforts
January 29, 2010 Washington, DC - The announcement of a 28-count indictment on charges of seafood mislabeling and species substitution is another recent example of how the government is putting some long-awaited teeth in efforts to stamp out fish fraud, according to the Better Seafood Board (BSB.)
"Whether it's a guilty plea in New Jersey Federal Court last week or an indictment in Alabama this week, these efforts prove the government takes fish fraud seriously. It's time for those in the seafood community who haven't made economic integrity a priority to take a good look at their sourcing practices, before someone else does it for them," said BSB Secretary Lisa Weddig.
The latest indictment alleges three people supplied falsely labeled fish to customers in Alabama and the Florida panhandle and in some cases substituted cheaper product for more expensive seafood.
"We'd like to see the FDA taking the lead in more short weight and species substitution cases but we're happy to see the Justice Department doing its part too. There is simply no room for this in the industry," said Weddig.
The accused face multiple counts of mislabeling and smuggling which each carrying a maximum penalty of between three and 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Better Seafood Board (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industry's partners in the supply chain - restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud.
Judge imposes one of the longest sentences ever for false seafood labeling
May 20, 2009 Washington, DC – A Virginia man’s 63 month federal prison sentence, for his role in a conspiracy that fraudulently labeled and sold pangasius in the United States, is evidence that fish fraud is a serious crime and not just the cost of doing business.
“Some businesses are convinced they’re not being victimized by their suppliers. They say no, not me. But in this case we’re talking about 10 million pounds of fish. That’s a lot of not me’s,” said Lisa Weddig the Secretary of the Better Seafood Board.
The Justice Department’s prosecution centered on “importers and seafood dealers who worked together” to sell “frozen fillets that were falsely labeled as more desirable and more expensive fish.”
Prosecutors demonstrated that Peter Xuong Lam of Virginia Star was part of a scheme that imported more than $15 million worth of pangasius that was illegally labeled as, among other things, sole, grouper and flounder. DNA tests revealed the fraud.
“If you’re not dealing with a member of the BSB you have the potential to open your business up to the type of fraud we’ve seen in this case,” said Weddig. “While it’s disappointing to see this going on, it’s hearting to see law enforcement stepping up and doing something about it.”
The Justice Department says the case was investigated by Special Agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Better Seafood Board (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industry’s partners in the supply chain – restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud.
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Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons
(703) 752-8891
ggibbons@nfi.org
CFIA tells importers it’s checking net weights
April 2, 2009 Washington, DC – In a letter to seafood importers the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says, as of April first companies “must be in full compliance” with its regulatory requirements, including “net content.”
“We brought our continued concerns about net weight fraud to CFIA in January, as they worked on their Strengthened Fish Import Program,” said Patrick McGuinness, President of the Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC.) “They quickly recognized the food safety implications and incorporated, what we consider, a well-crafted plan to increase testing for net weight.”
As part of the new effort, foreign firms with a history of poor net weight compliance will receive particular scrutiny.
“We’re pleased to see CFIA taking such a thorough and proactive approach on the net weight issue,” said Lisa Weddig, Secretary of the Better Seafood Bureau. “At the same time we’re disappointed that our own Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has failed to recognize the importance of this issue and devote needed resources to it.”
CFIA’s short-weight inspection initiative will not only increase inspections but investigate specific short-weight complaints.
“The Agency is dedicated to this project and has committed to meet the FCC Short- Weight Committee periodically to review the progress,” said McGuinness.
“We appreciate the FDA’s need for more resources but with $650 million worth of food safety funding in place we would hope they could find a way to allocate a few dollars to crack down on this fraudulent activity,” said Weddig.
The Better Seafood Bureau (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industry’s partners in the supply chain – restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud.
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Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons
(703) 752.8891
ggibbons@nfi.org
