Erica Cline, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Washington Tacoma, succinctly describes what’s going on at some South Sound eateries: “consumer fraud.”
When restaurants say they’re selling wild-caught Pacific Northwest salmon but substitute cheaper, farm-raised Atlantic salmon they’re not just breaking faith with their customers. They’re breaking the law. Federal law prohibits the false labeling of fish and other foods and authorities have been getting tougher with seafood suppliers who mislabel fish.
UWT students in classes taught by Cline and lecturer Jennifer Gogarten studied the DNA of salmon offered by local salmon sellers. They found a disturbingly high percentage of falsely labeled salmon at South Sound restaurants.
More than a third of the approximately 50 eateries they studied either substituted Atlantic farmed salmon for wild Pacific salmon or the less desirable coho salmon for king salmon. Most of the offending eateries offered less-expensive sushi and teriyaki dishes. Few were higher-end restaurants.
The three-year study found that substitutions were more likely to be made in the winter, when fresh fish supplies are lower, and when salmon was one of several ingredients in a dish.
Some good news came out of the study: Most supermarkets label their salmon correctly. Only about 7 percent of store samples were inaccurately labeled, with larger retailers much more likely to correctly label their salmon.
While some seafood aficionados actually prefer the milder, more delicate Atlantic salmon, many order wild Pacific salmon because they have philosophical or health reasons for not wanting farmed fish. Some studies have found concentrations of PCBs and other contaminants at levels of up to 10 times higher in farmed salmon.
Other customers want the omega-3 benefits of eating the oilier wild fish. They’re willing to pay more – and they should get what they pay for. Those customers are cheated when they unknowingly pay higher prices for farmed salmon.
Some online commenters have urged that the names of the cheating sellers be released, even insinuating that The News Tribune is protecting advertisers by keeping their identities secret. Not so. UWT did not release the names.
Given the nature of the study – involving college students picking up and testing samples from scores of restaurants and supermarkets – it’s understandable that UWT didn’t want to risk lawsuits by naming names. However, given the study’s findings that so many restaurants are mislabeling their salmon, inspection officials should take a closer look.
Even without giving up the names of cheaters, the UWT researchers have performed a public service by alerting customers to a potential problem. What a great way for students to realize the practical, real-world benefits of environmental studies.
