April 17, 2012 – It's called species substitution and it's becoming increasingly apparent in L.A. sushi bars, where more than half of the seafood sold is not labeled correctly, according to a nonprofit watchdog organization.
Red snapper, Dover sole, white tuna and other fish were often a different species, the group Oceana found in DNA tests of seafood from 74 retail outlets in Los Angeles. In all, 55% of 119 fish samples from across L.A. were misidentified, Oceana said.
Oceana focused on the frequency of mislabeling rather than its origins. But Beth Lowell, director of the Stop Seafood Fraud campaign at Oceana's Washington, D.C., headquarters, said fraud can occur at any point in the supply chain, beginning when the fish is landed and through to processing, distribution and final point of sale.
Read the complete story from The Los Angeles Times.