Seafood labeling and sourcing to become clearer in UK

Labeling and sourcing of sustainable fish in the UK will become clearer with two new codes of conduct recently published by the Sustainable Seafood Coalition (SSC).

SSC, a coalition of major seafood suppliers, brands, supermarkets and restaurants, has agreed to the new codes with the aim of making environmental claims on fish and seafood clearer.

The sourcing code will also ensure responsible sourcing of seafood by suppliers and retailers, as well as adherence to the agreed minimum standards.

Members will have to commit to better traceability and transparency in sourcing policies, as well as carry out annual audits for aquaculture sources.

The new codes will be launched later this week at the Humber seafood summit, which is a gathering of industry representatives.

Click Green quoted M&J Seafood director of fish and seafood Mike Berthet as saying: "I am delighted that clarity surrounding such terms as ‘sustainable and responsible’ has finally been resolved with the commitment of processors, retailers, restaurateurs and wholesale foodservice distributors, such as M&J Seafood, under the leadership of ClientEarth and the SSC.

"It is refreshing that when necessary, we can all work together for the better improvement of the seafood industry."

Guardian quoted ClientEarth chief executive James Thornton as saying: "People looking for sustainable fish have often had too little information about where their fish and seafood comes from.

"When we launched the SSC three years ago, some thought getting so many businesses to agree to codes like this was impossible."

Some of the members that have signed the code are Co-operative Food, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Lyons Seafoods, New England Seafood, The Saucy Fish Co / Icelandic Group UK, Young’s Seafood, Direct Seafoods, Le Lien and M&J Seafood.

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Image: The new codes will make sourcing and labeling of seafood products clearer. Photo: courtesy of Master isolated images / freedigitalphotos.net.