The launch of a new seafood website last month provides retailers with the ability to showcase their stores as places where consumers are guaranteed to get what they are paying for.
The website lists seafood shops, restaurants and supermarkets which have committed to use approved national fish names standard on all seafood they sell, eliminating the possibility of cheap fish being sold at a higher price under the guise of an exotic name.

The fish names standard applies one authorised name to each species of fish, whether harvested locally or imported. Examples include:

* Barramundi was previously known as barra; giant perch; palmer; or silver barramundi
* John Dory was previously known as doorkeeper’s fish; dory keparu; kuparu or St Peter’s fish
* Snapper was previously known as bedford snapper; cockney; pink snapper; pinkie; red bream; schnapper; squire or nobby

After six years’ work, the national standards now cover about 4,500 species of fish, crustaceans and cephalopods such as squid and octopus.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said many Australian families enjoyed fresh Australian seafood during their summer holidays and the website would be welcomed. “You can’t beat the quality of fresh, locally caught Australian seafood and this will help to take some of the stress out of seafood shopping,” he said. “I commend the Sydney Fish Markets for being the first retailers to be licensed under the approved fish name brand.”Managing Director of Seafood Services Ted Loveday said consumers buying their seafood at the licensed businesses could be confident that what they pay for is what they get. It also presents a marketing opportunity to seafood retailers.

“It’s easy to find the seafood businesses licensed under the approved fish names brand: just visit the website and choose a seafood outlet near you,” Mr Loveday suggested. “Consumers can be confident that they are getting value for money at these businesses which display the scheme’s distinctive blue-and-white logo. A growing number of seafood shops, supermarkets and restaurants are now becoming licensed under the scheme.”

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