Daytimes number one show talks fish fraud

WASHINGTON, DC February 28, 2012 Reigning talk show titan Dr. Mehmet Oz is letting his viewers know that despite all the talk about fish fraud these days there is a way consumers can know they are getting what they pay for; ask if retailers are buying from the Better Seafood Board (BSB.)

As part of a recent segment on supermarket secrets Dr. Oz interviewed consumer advocate Peter De Lucia from the Westchester County Department of Health. After describing concerns over species substitution Dr. Oz asked De Lucia what consumers could do.

De Lucia answered, You need to talk to your supermarket and see if your supermarket purchases fish from a member of the Better Seafood Board. That board actually strives to make sure theres proper fish labeling and sell correctly labeled fish to the supermarkets. So, youve got to speak up. Youve got to talk to your supermarket, find out where theyre getting their fish. So you get the right fish.

Members of the BSB have differentiated themselves from others in the industry. Whether its in the Boston Globe, NPR or on a talk show that reaches millions of households every day, more and more, were seeing our members highlighted as ones who are doing the right thing, said BSB Secretary Lisa Weddig.

Dr. Oz himself noted during the broadcast that the BSB was driving quality and making retail establishments more reputable.

The Better Seafood Board (BSB) was established by the National Fisheries Institute to provide a mechanism for industrys partners in the supply chain restaurants, retail operations, producers and processors - to report suppliers suspected of committing economic fraud.

Contact Information

Gavin Gibbons
(703)752-8891
ggibbons@nfi.org