Push to lift seafood labelling standards

A new push is underway to tighten Australian's lax labelling laws for seafood, which currently allow restaurants and retailers to withhold information from consumers on the origins and species of fish they eat.

Consumers are also in the dark on the method used to catch or farm their fish.

Greenpeace and the Australian Marine Conservation Society, backed by celebrity chefs such as Peter Gilmore of three-hatted Quay and Tom Kime of Fish & Co, today launch a campaign to change Australian laws so that seafood labels do reveal such data, in line with European Union standards.

"The Aussie 'flathead' we think we are eating may well be an imported, cheaper South American fish, of a completely different family," David Ritter, chief executive of Greenpeace Australia, told Fairfax Media.

"But there is often no labelling on your pub or fast food menu, or packet of frozen 'flathead', to reveal the truth."

It is hoped clearer labelling will encourage more sustainable fishing methods and boost the local fishing industry.

But Restaurant and Catering Australia says the industry will lose $300 million a year to comply with new labelling standards, including costs associated with updating menus and reconfiguring back-end systems, and most suppliers don't have that information anyway.