From Ocean to Plate: Tracing Seafood for Sustainability
Seafood is the most traded food globally emphasizing how important it is that seafood be caught ethically and sustainably. Tracing where your seafood comes from can protect yourself and the ocean.
SUSTAINABILITY
Why Traceability Matters
Seafood is one of the most highly traded food commodities around the globe! According to Pew Charitable Trusts, "Seafood is one of the world’s most traded food commodities by value, accounting for $143 billion in global trade each year." With seafood being such a high-demand product, ensuring it is caught legally, ethically, and sustainably is vital in protecting the health of the ocean and us. Illegal and unregulated fishing practices degrade marine ecosystems by damaging populations and destroying habitats, unsustainable habits like this underscore the importance of tracing your seafood from ocean to plate.
What is Seafood Traceability?
Seafood traceability put simply is the ability to track a seafood product - from the moment it comes out of the water, through the logistic process, until it reaches the consumer. This process includes recording Key Data Elements (KDEs) which include where and when the fish was caught and how it was sourced. Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) describe the processing and shipping information. KDEs and CTEs provide accountability and transparency about the fish you are buying.
Is it Really Tuna?
Despite the current laws and regulations, seafood mislabeling remains as a widespread problem, even among the most commonly bought species. According to a meta-analysis Ahles, et al., "The top 10 consumed seafoods reported by the National Fisheries Institute for 2021 had a mislabeling rate of 31.0%, compared to 53.0% for the most frequently investigated species." With nearly 1/3 of seafood being mislabeled, consumer deception is a persistent issue in the purchasing of seafood. This highlights the need for traceability systems.
Tools and technology today have made traceability easier now than ever; however, it is the job of the consumer to choose products that are traceable. Here are some ways to choose traceable products:
Choosing traceable products starts with picking transparent brands and fisheries.
Scan QR codes when they are available to learn more about the fish like its KDEs and CTEs
Asking questions at the point of sale (asking the grocer or waiter)
Using traceability apps to track the origin and sourcing method
Supporting certified seafood reinforces regulations and standards
Traceability is shared process behind the regulators, industry and the consumers. When consumers make well-informed purchases with traceability in mind it reinforces regulations and the industry to engage in sustainable, transparent practices.
Challenges in the Supply Chain
Weak enforcement of regulations allows illegal practices to continue. According to Seafood Mislabeling and Fraud an article by the NOAA fisheries, common challenges in the supply chain that result in mislabeling are transshipping and at-sea transfers. As the agency notes, "Mislabeling seafood and concealing illegally caught fish evades inspection fees, permits, and other business costs that affect the price of responsibly caught seafood." These gaps in traceability undermine consumer trust and sustainable fisheries. In addition, inconsistent standards hinder the ability to trace all seafood.
Global and Local Action
How do we improve consumer trust and increase sustainable fishing habits? Globally, it is important to push for standards that enforce stronger traceability protocols. These standards would ensure that all seafood be tracked from the moment it is caught until it is sold to the consumer. Locally, consumers should buy from sustainable and small fisheries. Increasing the demand for locally sourced seafood could outcompete foreign imports (which is where at-sea transfers and transshipping mislabeling mostly occur).
The Future of Seafood Tracking
With more consumers becoming aware of where their seafood comes from, the seafood industry is set to transform. The future of seafood should hold less deception and instead promote traceability. Traceability should no longer be an option and instead be the cornerstone of the seafood industry - from fisheries, to processors, to sellers. By embedding traceability, consumers can trust the market, and sustainable practices improve.
Explore More:
NovaFoodies empowers consumers to trace their seafood. NovaFoodies supports a QR system that allows consumers to scan their product for more information.
ThisFish is an AI traceability system. Like NovaFoodies it supports QR system for seafood information. ThisFish is targeted towards seafood processors and distributors.
The goal of this online game is having the user understand the consequences of overfishing and unsustainable practices. The user must catch as much as possible without collapsing the ecosystem!
Ahles, Sarah, et al. “A Meta-Analysis of Seafood Species Mislabeling in the United States.” Food Control, vol. 158, 2024, article 109078, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2024.109078.
Pew Charitable Trusts. “The Role of the Seafood Supply Chain in Sustainable Fisheries.” The Pew Charitable Trusts, 13 Apr. 2021, https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2021/04/13/the-role-of-the-seafood-supply-chain-in-sustainable-fisheries.
“Seafood Mislabeling and Fraud.” NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Department of Commerce, 3 Sept. 2025, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/sustainable-seafood/seafood-fraud.