State efforts are now underway to better enforce various “back door” abuses going behind some fishmarkets. Several Florida state agencies are now targeting people and businesses illegally buying, selling, packaging or mislabeling seafood products.

According to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) press release, “Snagging fishermen or dealers illegally selling or buying their catch often requires covert operations involving long hours and additional manpower. FWC investigators may pose as recreational fishermen and attempt to make a backdoor sale or purchase, (or) DNA testing on fishery products suspected to be mislabeled.”

Sounds like a tall order. A huge percentage of fish fillet in this country is mislabeled, so state agents may have their hands full, so to speak. FWC says, “Seafood species cannot legally be substituted for one another and must be accurately and truthfully promoted and sold using the correct species name.”

Whether the same enforcement push will apply to fancy seafood restaurants remains to be seen. Can you imagine an agent detaining cooks in Tony Maroni’s Seafood Bistro (if such a place exists) late at night?

FS