The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have solicited public comment on complementary draft policies aiming “to enable the development of sustainable marine aquaculture.” According to NOAA, these policies apply to “the farming of marine organisms such as shellfish, finfish, and algae for food, habitat restoration, and rebuilding of wild fish stocks,” and outline how the agency plans “to fund research into innovative aquaculture technologies, work with partners to create job initiatives that encourage the growth of the industry, and grant access to favorable sites for aquaculture facilities.” To this end, the NOAA draft policy specifically offers “a national approach for supporting sustainable commercial production, expanding restoration aquaculture, and researching and developing new technologies.” It also includes principles meant to guide the regulation of aquaculture in federal waters, with an emphasis on (i) ecosystem compatibility, (ii) compatibility with other uses, (iii) the best available…
Tag Archives fish/seafood
U.S. Senators Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have spearheaded a bill (S. 230) that would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prevent the approval of genetically engineered (GE) fish. Companion legislation (S. 229) would require labeling of any genetically engineered fish should such fish get approved. Noting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a proposal by AquaBounty Technologies, Inc., to produce GE salmon as the first such food hybrid safe for human consumption, the senators reintroduced legislation they co-sponsored in the last congressional session in hopes of implementing a quick ban of GE fish. Calling GE fish “Frankenfish ” that is “risky, unprecedented and unnecessary,” Begich said in a statement that such fish “threatens our wild stocks, their habitat, our food safety, and would bring economic harm to Alaska’s wild salmon fishermen.” Citing strong opposition to GE salmon, Begich added that “it…
GotMercury.org recently released a report claiming that “nearly one-third of the fish purchased at [California] grocery stores contains levels of mercury the United States has deemed unsafe for consumption and more than half of theretailers did not post mercury advisory signs.” The authors based their findings on 98 samples of swordfish, halibut, salmon, and tuna from 41 grocery stores and sushi restaurants across the state, alleging that all samples “contained measurable levels of mercury, most above 0.5 parts per million (ppm) methylmercury – the upper threshold set by the state of California as acceptable for human consumption in non-commercial fish caught in inland waters.” GotMercury.org also reported that mercury levels (i) averaged 1.47 ppm in swordfish, “well above the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) mercury action level of 1 ppm”; (ii) averaged 0.407 ppm in yellowfin tuna; and (iii) averaged 0.721 ppm in sushi tuna, “a level that could…
According to a news source, a small claims court in California has exonerated two seafood restaurant supervisors for alleged negligence in the case of the exploding escargot. More details about the case appear in Issue 373 of this Update. In a two-page ruling, the court apparently determined, “There was absolutely no evidence whatsoever on what caused the escargot to spontaneously splatter grease upon being touched by the plaintiffs. There was no evidence that Seafood Peddler did not exercise reasonable care in the preparation or service of the escargot.” The court also opined that diners should have a “reasonable expectation” of injury “due to hot grease in orders of escargot which are prepared and served with ‘hot garlic butter.’” Pleased with the ruling, the restaurant’s owner reportedly noted that orders for escargot have surged since news about the lawsuit became public. See Marin Independent Journal, December 15, 2010. The Third Circuit Court…
Food & Water Watch (FWW) has published a report critical of seafood eco-labels that certify products as “environmentally friendly” or “sustainably produced.” Titled De-Coding Seafood Eco-Labels: Why We Need Public Standards, the report examines several seafood certification programs created “in response to a range of controversial issues related to the production and consumption of fish.” According to FWW, these privately operated programs have capitalized on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s failure to implement an “organic” seafood label. Moreover, FWW argues, “some of these certification programs have additional interests beyond providing consumer guidance. Whether it’s an interest in establishing a relationship with a fishery in order to work toward improvement, or getting more eco-certified product on the market, these other interests compete with label neutrality.” The FWW report finds that the six labeling programs under review “demonstrate inadequacies with regard to some or all of the following: environmental standards, social responsibility and…
Two California businessmen have reportedly filed a complaint in small claims court against a Marin County restaurateur, alleging that they were sprayed with hot garlic butter from an exploding snail. Chadwick St.-O’Harra, a former law student, and Steve Righetti were apparently celebrating Righetti’s birthday at a seafood restaurant, when the escargot purportedly exploded, dousing their faces and polo shirts. The men reportedly claim that the incident caused both “humiliation” and “a sense of genuine outrage” and that the restaurateur allegedly responded with “indifference” and “friggin’ rudeness.” The two were dining on a filet-and-lobster combo and a seafood medley and did not reportedly seek immediate medical treatment, choosing instead to finish their meals. According to the restaurant owner, the incident never happened and escargot does not explode. Still, some in the industry have characterized “escargot explosion” as a “rare but periodic phenomenon” that can be attributed to air bubbles trapped inside…
A recent investigation by NBC’s Today show has apparently revealed that some imported seafood “may contain toxic chemicals that can cause serious health problems.” Testing conducted by Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Oklahoma authorities has reportedly found contamination in shrimp, catfish, crabmeat and tilapia imported from China, Indonesia Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. “Footage taken by a U.S. advocacy group of seafood being raised in Vietnam, for example, showed fish in dirty sewage water, pumped with toxic antibiotics and banned drugs just to keep them alive, boosting production and driving down costs,” states the Today report, which claims that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests less than 2 percent of all seafood from overseas. Those test results allegedly indicated that in 2010, 8 percent of the sampled seafood from China and 16 percent from Taiwan was tainted with chemicals and drugs prohibited in the U.S. food supply. In response, FDA released…
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) recently published the results of a seven-month foray into the Atlantic bluefin tuna trade, claiming that widespread corruption at all levels has decimated the species. Titled Looting the Seas, the exposé reflects the efforts of 12 journalists who followed the bluefin supply chain “from major fishing fleets and tuna ranches in the Mediterranean and North Africa, through ministry offices, to some of the world’s largest buyers.” Released before a November meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the report relies on interviews, court documents, regulatory reports, corporate records, and “an internal database used by regulators to track the trade.” According to its findings, the supply chain “at every step was riddled with fraud, negligence, and criminal misconduct.” The report specifically alleges that (i) “Fishermen blatantly violated official quotas and engaged in an array of illegal practices”; (ii) “National…
U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has introduced a bill (H.R. 6325) that would require labeling for food that contains genetically engineered (GE) animal products. The Consumer Right to Know Food Labeling Act of 2010 would amend the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and Meat Inspection Act to compel the disclosure of product ingredients derived from cloned animals or their progeny. It would also mandate labeling for food products that contain GE salmon. In addition to providing for civil penalties and citizen suits in the event of misbranded food, the bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop and implement a recordkeeping audit trail applicable to “any person that prepares, stores, handles, or distributes a cloned product for retail sale.” “A recent Food & Water Watch survey revealed that 78 percent of Americans do not want genetically-engineered salmon to be approved and made available…
Led by U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska), a group of legislators has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to halt its ongoing review of genetically engineered (GE) salmon, citing “serious concerns with the current approval process and many potential health and environmental risks that are associated with producing GE fish.” FDA recently held public hearings to decide the fate of a new animal drug application (NADA) for AquAvantage® salmon, an Atlantic variety that uses genes from ocean pout and Chinook to increase the speed of maturation. Additional details about these hearings appear in Issue 365 of this Update. In their September 28, 2010, letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, the Senators argue that the NADA process lacks transparency and does not adequately address the “creation of a new animal, especially one intended for human consumption.” The signatories specifically point to reports that GE salmon “‘have slightly higher levels of…
