We’re a seafood-loving nation, and as we’re girt by sea, we really are spoiled for choice when it comes to the variety of world-class homegrown seafood on offer. So it might surprise you to learn that around 70 percent of all seafood consumed in Australia is actually imported. But how can you, as a consumer, spot the difference?

Seafood products sold in supermarkets and at fish markets are required to come with Country of Origin labelling that tells you where that food has come from, which makes it easy to choose Australian. But when it comes to restaurants, pubs and your local fish & chipper, there’s currently no requirement for those dishing up your fish to provide any info on where that seafood was sourced. This can make it pretty tough for consumers to support local producers.

“Right now, for food safety purposes, the supply chain of seafood is known in foodservice all the way to the kitchen door,” says CEO of Seafood Industry Australia, Veronica Papacosta. “However, the information is often not passed on.”

Now the federal government has stepped in, with consultation opening today on a proposed Country of Origin Labelling model for seafood in hospitality settings. The government’s proposed model would mean businesses need to indicate if seafood is:

• Australian (marked with an A);
• Imported/international (marked with an I); or
• Mixed origin (containing both Australian and imported seafood, marked with an M).

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There’s nothing wrong with imported seafood – Australia’s appetite for seafood is so large, demand far outweighs local supply. The point here is that the consumer has the right to know where their food is coming from, so they can make more informed purchasing decisions.

Announcing the move from Sydney Fish Market this morning, Assistant Minister for Manufacturing Tim Ayres said the Australian government is eager to strike the right balance between improving consumer access to information and keeping things practical and low-cost for local businesses who need to make the necessary changes.

“Australians should be able to easily find out where their food comes from,” the minister said. “Making seafood labelling clearer, simpler and mandatory will mean people will know if they are purchasing premium local produce.

“These changes won’t be made overnight. We know businesses will need time to adjust to new labelling requirements and we’ll be working closely with businesses to help them through this transition.”

Sydney Fish Market has also spoken out in support of the proposed system. “Given our extensive coastline, consumers often assume that the seafood meal they are purchasing is Australian-sourced, when in fact it may not be,” says Greg Dyer, Sydney Fish Market CEO.

“Research has shown that customers are willing to pay an appropriate premium for Australian seafood. This premium is essential for Australian seafood producers who struggle to compete with imported seafood producers, who benefit from lower costs of production and labour.”

The government is currently seeking feedback on the proposal. You can share your views at consult.industry.gov.au until March 15, 2023. In the meantime, if you’d like to know where your seafood is from when ordering at a restaurant, hotel or takeaway joint, just ask. Any venue worth its salt cod will be happy to provide you with an answer.

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