​Traceability and consumer information for fish landed in Scotland on the fish market: A joint Food Standards Scotland, Marine Scotland and Seafish guidance note

Summary

A partnership of Food Standards Scotland, Marine Scotland and Seafish have produced guidance aimed at helping the fishing industry comply with European regulations on fish traceability.

Over the past year officials from Food Standards Scotland, Marine Scotland and Seafish have been consulting with onshore and offshore representatives of the fishing industry, to put together guidance on how this sector may meet the requirements set out in European marketing regulations, to ensure traceability information on catches of fish are made available up to first point of sale. A full technical guide was produced last year, and we have now published a short guidance note along with an easy to follow template.

Whether buying fish prepacked, loose from fishmongers or direct from vessels, consumers can expect to see:

• the commercial name of the fish along with it's scientific name
• whether it was caught at sea, in freshwater, farmed or cultivated
• the catch or production area, and for sea fish, the type of fishing gear
• for sea fish caught around the UK, detailed descriptions of the catch area such as ‘North Sea’ or ‘Rockall’ may be used.
• for freshwater fish the body of water and EU or non-EU country is needed and for farmed fish and cultivated products, the EU or non-EU country in which the most significant rearing period took place should appear.