We were less than pleased to read this article on the Huffington Post about "fish fraud." What, you ask, is fish fraud? It's literally what it sounds like: That fish you're eating might not be what you think it is. So much for making healthy, informed choices.
Karen Cicero writes, "In a recent nationwide report, Oceana found that about one third of the seafood sold at restaurants and grocery stores isn't really what the label or menu says it is. Not only can mislabeling rip you off, but it also puts you at risk of unwittingly eating fish high in mercury or other toxins." So, when cheap fish gets labelled as expensive fish, we're forced to spend more money (up to $500 extra per year if you eat fish once a week), and put ourselves at risk for disease. It sounds like a lose/lose situation. Plus, it's hard even for professionals to tell the difference, which is why the FDA has started relying on DNA testing to identify seafood.
But, it's not a hopeless situation. The article has some good suggestions for how to avoid eating fraudulent fish, such as buying directly from fisherman and eating canned fish, which passes through fewer hands and is therefore less likely to be mislabeled. Check it out and let us know what you think. Are you less excited to order the red snapper if it's secretly rockfish? (The Huffington Post) 
Photo: Courtesy of The Huffington Post.