“Fish mislabeling has become an accepted practice,’’ said state Representative Ted Speliotis, the Danvers Democrat and cochairman of the joint committee. “There appears to be overlapping responsibility but no one is taking action. This needs to change.’’
The five-month investigation showed that consumers routinely and unknowingly pay too much for less prized fish or buy seafood that is something other than what is advertised on menus. Nearly half the 183 fish samples reporters purchased at restaurants, grocery stores, and seafood markets were sold with the wrong species name.
Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office said yesterday that it wants to determine what role the state can play in combating the misnaming of seafood, and Barbara Anthony, undersecretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, said her agency also will get involved in the issue.
“When consumers purchase a specific type of fish, they expect to be getting what they paid for,’’ Anthony said. She said her office will work with state and law enforcement officials, and with restaurants and fish wholesalers, “to identify ways to help restore public confidence.’’
To measure the extent of seafood mislabeling, the Globe hired a lab in Canada to conduct DNA testing on fish samples collected by reporters. Among the findings, 24 of 26 red snapper samples were actually less desirable fish, including those collected at Minado restaurant in Natick, H Mart in Burlington, and Takara Sushi in Newton. All 23 white tuna samples turned out to be escolar, a cheaper fish that can cause severe gastrointestinal distress. And previously frozen Pacific cod stood in for pricier fresh New England cod or haddock at Hearth ‘n Kettle in Attelboro, Ken’s Steak House in Framingham, and the Courtyard Restaurant & Pub in Cataumet.
The Globe chose to focus its testing on certain species, such as red snapper and tuna, because they have been identified by regulators as more likely to be mislabeled, so the findings do not represent all types of fish sold.
