Markey, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over fishing and ocean issues, is also considering legislation to combat consumer fraud and ensure better inspection and labeling of fish products.

“It’s hard not to conclude that something fishy has been going on when it comes to fish labeling,’’ Markey said. “This kind of fish fraud isn’t just an affront to consumers’ wallets, it also could be a danger to the health of our people and the health of New England’s seafood economy. We cannot allow shady practices by middlemen or restaurants to taint the excellent reputation of the New England fishing industry.’’

The five-month Globe investigation found that Massachusetts consumers regularly and unwittingly overpay for less valued fish or buy seafood that is not what it is advertised to be. The newspaper hired a lab in Canada to conduct DNA tests on fish that reporters purchased across the region. The results showed that 48 percent, or 87 of the 183 seafood samples, were sold with the wrong species name. Such misnaming can put consumers at risk of suffering allergic reactions, violating dietary restrictions, or ingesting chemicals banned in the United States.

Markey yesterday sent letters to top officials at the US Food and Drug Administration, which is charged with overseeing labeling, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which monitors fisheries. He requested information from both agencies, including the percentage of domestic and imported fish that are inspected, the level of coordination between federal agencies to detect mislabeling, and what additional resources are needed to increase seafood inspections for species substitution.

Read the complete article from The Boston Globe