Senate urges seafood country labels

The Senate wants the government to urgently introduce laws to force restaurants and fish-and-chip shops to reveal what country their seafood comes from.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon won upper house support for his seafood labelling motion - co-sponsored by crossbench, Greens and Labor senators - after his private bill to impose regulations was voted down last week.

Senator Xenophon said he was disappointed the government didn't back the motion, citing successful labelling laws in the Northern Territory.