“It is unacceptable that proven fraud is occurring on such a widespread basis,’’ the Democrat wrote. “Seafood fraud is not only deceptive marketing, but it can also pose serious health concerns, particularly for pregnant women seeking to limit exposure to heavy metals or individuals with serious allergies to certain types of fish.”

The Boston Globe published a series on seafood mislabeling last year called “Fishy Business”. The five-month investigation found that Massachusetts consumers routinely and unknowingly overpay for less desirable fish. The Globe targeted fish most likely to be mislabeled from more than 100 restaurants, grocery stores, and seafood markets and DNA tested them. The investigated found that 48 percent of 183 samples turned out to be a different species than what was advertised.

Oceana, an environmental advocacy group, has been working to end seafood fraud and has also DNA-tested fish collected from numerous grocery stores, restaurants and sushi venues across the country. In Miami and Fort Lauderdale, 31 percent of the seafood tested by the group was mislabeled. In Los Angeles and Orange counties, 55 percent of the seafood tested was mislabeled.

Read the full story at the Boston Globe