If those tasty crustaceans smothered by grits in South Carolina restaurants are from Florida, the restaurant owner would be breaking the law by calling them “local” shrimp, under a change working its way through the Legislature.
The same goes for “local” grouper in the display case at the grocery store that’s really from Asia.
The new definition for local seafood would be added to the state’s food labeling regulations in a bill, H.3297, which has made it to the House floor. Even if the bill passes the House in the next two weeks, the Senate won’t consider it until 2014.
Violators would face a misdemeanor charge, but the emphasis is less on punishment than on making clearly illegal what local seafood industry leaders see as a deceptive practice. How pervasive a practice? It’s difficult to say.
“I know it’s a lot, but what is ‘a lot?’” said Frank Blum, executive director of the S.C. Seafood Alliance.
The state’s seafood industry’s revenue dropped to $24 million in 2004 from $48 million in 1995, a dip attributed mainly to foreign competition. The local drop came at a time when seafood consumption worldwide was growing.
“Foreign aquaculture grew like a weed,” Blum said. “It kept up with, and passed a little, what was needed for consumption.”
Changes in U.S. and state regulations that reduced local catch of some species also had an impact. State seafood revenue has inched up to about $27 million since 2004, Blum said.
Nearly 90 percent of seafood consumed in the U.S. is caught or raised in foreign waters, Blum said. It’s unlikely every grocery store, market or restaurant advertising local seafood is telling the truth.
“If you’re running a restaurant, the top restaurants are going to be truthful because they can charge a lot,” Blum said. “People will pay more because they want the best stuff.”
As for the places with cheap prices, they probably aren’t selling local products, Blum said. They might not be selling what they’re advertising at all.
A 2011 study by Clemson University’s Peter Marko using DNA samples found 15 percent of 33 fish labeled in stores as Chilean sea bass either were a different variety of sea bass or were a different species of fish. A 2004 study by Marko found 77 percent of fillets advertised as red snapper weren’t.
