Seafood Traceability Research Articles

Seafood traceability program design: Examination of the United States' Seafood Import Monitoring Program.

The United States' current Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) and a potential extension are undergoing review, yet quantitative evaluation of the current program is lacking. The SIMP is a traceability program aimed at reducing imports of seafood products that are of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) origin or associated with seafood fraud. We conducted a quantitative examination of the SIMP's current scope and design by synthesizing publicly available trade data along with measures of IUU fishing and seafood mislabeling. We found prioritized shipments amounted to 33% of 2016 imported tonnage. The SIMP species groups had higher IUU scores and mislabeling rates relative to non-SIMP groups, but the difference was consistent with random prioritization suggesting potential benefits from program expansion. Furthermore, two-thirds of imported volume lacked a mislabeling rate and 5% lacked species information, underlining the urgent need for improved open-access data on globalized seafood supply chains.

Preventing illegal seafood trade using machine-learning assisted microbiome analysis

BackgroundSeafood is increasingly traded worldwide, but its supply chain is particularly prone to frauds. To increase consumer confidence, prevent illegal trade, and provide independent validation for eco-labelling, accurate tools for seafood traceability are needed. Here we show that the use of microbiome profiling (MP) coupled with machine learning (ML) allows precise tracing the origin of Manila clams harvested in areas separated by small geographic distances. The study was designed to represent a real-world scenario. Clams were collected in different seasons across the most important production area in Europe (lagoons along the northern Adriatic coast) to cover the known seasonal variation in microbiome composition for the species. DNA extracted from samples underwent the same depuration process as commercial products (i.e. at least 12 h in open flow systems).ResultsMachine learning-based analysis of microbiome profiles was carried out using two completely independent sets of data (collected at the same locations but in different years), one for training the algorithm, and the other for testing its accuracy and assessing the temporal stability signal. Briefly, gills (GI) and digestive gland (DG) of clams were collected in summer and winter over two different years (i.e. from 2018 to 2020) in one banned area and four farming sites. 16S DNA metabarcoding was performed on clam tissues and the obtained amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) table was used as input for ML MP. The best-predicting performances were obtained using the combined information of GI and DG (consensus analysis), showing a Cohen K-score > 0.95 when the target was the classification of samples collected from the banned area and those harvested at farming sites. Classification of the four different farming areas showed slightly lower accuracy with a 0.76 score.ConclusionsWe show here that MP coupled with ML is an effective tool to trace the origin of shellfish products. The tool is extremely robust against seasonal and inter-annual variability, as well as product depuration, and is ready for implementation in routine assessment to prevent the trade of illegally harvested or mislabeled shellfish.

Advancing artificial intelligence in fisheries requires novel cross-sector collaborations

Abstract Artificial intelligence, or AI, has the potential to dramatically improve our understanding and management of the ocean. For fisheries, these benefits could include greater monitoring coverage at lower costs, improved estimates of catch and bycatch, identification of illegal fishing, and seafood traceability throughout the supply chain. However, fisheries AI innovation and adoption faces substantial barriers from the highly regulated nature of fisheries and the complex overlap of government policies, diverse user needs, and market pressures. We argue that needed advances in fisheries AI require novel collaborations to share data and methods, encourage new and diverse entrants to the field, and increase baseline technical literacy across the global fisheries community. Unlocking fisheries data to power AI, particularly image data, can only be achieved through partnerships across government managers, AI developers, fishers and vessel owners, and technology service providers, which, in turn, requires a common vocabulary for policy and technical concepts. With a greater shared understanding across the field, fisheries AI providers can deliver desired results, and users can have confidence that systems are performing as advertised, ultimately meeting monitoring demand and sustainability goals.

A Microbial Phenomics Approach to Determine Metabolic Signatures to Enhance Seabream Sparus aurata Traceability, Differentiating between Wild-Caught and Farmed.

The need for efficient and simplified techniques for seafood traceability is growing. This study proposes the Biolog EcoPlate assay as an innovative method for assessing wild and farmed Sparus aurata traceability, offering advantages over other molecular techniques in terms of technical simplicity. The Biolog EcoPlate assay, known for its high-throughput capabilities in microbial ecology, was utilized to evaluate the functional diversity of microbial communities from various organs of S. aurata (seabream) from the Mediterranean area. Samples were taken from the anterior and posterior gut, cloaca swabs and gills to distinguish between farmed and wild-caught individuals. The analysis focused on color development in OmniLog Units for specific carbon sources at 48 h. Gills provided the most accurate clusterization of sample origin. The assay monitored the development of color for carbon sources such as α-cyclodextrin, D-cellobiose, glycogen, α-D-lactose, L-threonine and L-phenylalanine. A mock experiment using principal component analysis (PCA) successfully identified the origin of a blind sample. Shannon and Simpson indexes were used to statistically assess the diversity, reflecting the clusterization of different organ samples; Conclusions: The Biolog EcoPlate assay proves to be a quick, cost-effective method for discriminate S. aurata traceability (wild vs. farmed), demonstrating reliable reproducibility and effective differentiation between farmed and wild-caught seabream.

Enhancing seafood traceability: tracking the origin of seabass and seabream from the tuscan coast area by the analysis of the gill bacterial communities

BackgroundThe seafood consumption and trade have increased over the years, and along its expected expansion pose major challenges to the seafood industry and government institutions. In particular, the global trade in fish products and the consequent consumption are linked to reliable authentication, necessary to guarantee lawful trade and healthy consumption. Alterations or errors in this process can lead to commercial fraud and/or health threats. Consequently, the development of new investigative tools became crucial in ensuring unwanted scenarios. Here we used NGS techniques through targeted metagenomics approach on the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA genes to characterize the gill bacterial communities in wild-caught seabream (Sparus aurata) and seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) within different fisheries areas of the “Costa degli Etruschi’’ area in the Tuscan coast. Our challenge involved the possibility of discriminating between the microbiota of both fish species collected from three different fishing sites very close to each other (all within 100 km) in important areas from a commercial and tourist point of view.ResultsOur results showed a significant difference in the assembly of gill bacterial communities in terms of diversity (alpha and beta diversity) of both seabass and seabream in accordance with the three fishing areas. These differences were represented by a unique site -related bacterial signature, more evident in seabream compared to the seabass. Accordingly, the core membership of seabream specimens within the three different sites was minimal compared to the seabass which showed a greater number of sequence variants shared among the different fishing sites. Therefore, the LRT analysis highlighted the possibility of obtaining specific fish bacterial signatures associated with each site; it is noteworthy that specific taxa showed a unique association with the fishing site regardless of the fish species. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of target-metagenomic sequencing of gills in discriminating bacterial signatures of specimens collected from fishing areas located at a limited distance to each other.ConclusionsThis study provides new information relating the structure of the gill microbiota of seabass and seabream in a fishing area with a crucial commercial and tourist interest, namely “Costa degli Etruschi”. This study demonstrated that microbiome-based approaches can represent an important tool for validating the seafood origins with a central applicative perspective in the seafood traceability system.

Reduction of Losses and Wastage in Seafoods: The Role of Smart Tools and Biosensors Based on Artificial Intelligence

This paper reviews current knowledge on the role of smart tools and biosensors based on artificial intelligence in reducing seafood loss and wastage. This study shows that a variety of biosensors, categorised according to how they function, can be used to measure the quality of seafood. These include optical biosensors, enzyme-based biosensors, immunosensors, microbial biosensors, DNA-based biosensors, electrochemical biosensors, optical biosensors, tissue-based biosensors, and piezoelectric biosensors. Among these biosensors, optical biosensors, electrochemical biosensors, and mechanical biosensors are the most significant. Again, this study report that, for seafood traceability and management, a variety of smart solutions including blockchain technology, quick response (QR) codes, data analytics, digital twins, and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags can be utilised. Catch data, vessel tracking data, and data from the processing plant are some of the different data sources that can be utilised to trace seafood products. Artificial intelligence tools like neural networks, deep learning, machine learning, and others can be used to forecast and improve seafood quality. It is crucial to study the development of biosensors that can properly identify the earliest signs of seafood contamination or rotting.

Improved traceability in seafood supply chains is achievable by minimising vulnerable nodes in processing and distribution networks

Seafood is a globally traded commodity, often involving complex supply chains which have varying degrees of traceability. A robust traceability system for seafood supply chains enables the collection and communication of key information about catch and fisheries origins vital for assurance of the legality and sustainability of seafood products. End-to-end traceability is increasingly demanded by retailers, consumers, NGOs and regulatory bodies to ensure food safety, deter IUU fishing and verify sustainable and ethical credentials. Here, we map three UK seafood supply chains and evaluate traceability performance in: Dover sole landed in the south west of England, North-East Atlantic (NEA) mackerel landed at Peterhead, Scotland, and brown crab and European lobster, landed at Bridlington, England. Through a comparative analysis of traceability performance, this study suggests improvements to the technologies, processes, and systems for traceability in the seafood sector. The application of monitoring technologies and regulatory changes across the sector have increased traceability and potentially reduced instances of IUU fishing. While shorter supply chains are more likely to achieve end-to-end traceability, vulnerable nodes in processing and distribution networks may result in a loss of seafood traceability. While traceability systems may provide sustainability information on seafood, a high level of traceability performance does not necessarily equate to a sustainable source fishery. Encouragingly, while UK seafood supply chains are meeting minimum regulatory requirements for traceability, in the present study, many stakeholders have indicated ambitions towards traceability best practice in order to provide confidence and trust in the UK fishing industry.

Conflict and alignment on aquaculture among Californian communities

Expanding sustainable aquaculture, particularly marine aquaculture, has been increasingly discussed as a pathway for meeting growing seafood demands while reducing the environmental cost of production, including within the United States. California, the state with the largest economy, population, and seafood demand, plays a large role in the domestic seafood landscape and is currently re-evaluating policy and practices toward sustainable aquaculture through the development of a state Aquaculture Action Plan (AAP). To inform the development of the plan, we surveyed California interest groups and community members with association or knowledge of marine aquaculture to understand sentiment around current and future aquaculture in the state, both positive and negative. Specifically, we conducted surveys and a scenario exercise with a representative focus group (“in-person” group) and a broader community of others engaged in marine aquaculture (“survey” group). Participants spanned aquaculturists, commercial fishers, government agency representatives, environmental NGO advocates, academics and tribal members. We found people generally preferred California farms to focus on expanding seaweed and bivalve production, and not land-based finfish or crustaceans; simultaneously, people tended to show a strong preference for local production to fill the seafood production-consumption gap in the state. Notably, the preference of our respondents for the type of seafood to be farmed is in conflict with broader consumer preferences, as California residents (and the U.S generally) predominantly consume shrimp and fish. In support of the broader sentiment of developing locally accessible seafood, both groups expressed a strong preference for increased production to be from small farms and distributed locally. Adoption of local aquaculture products would likely be facilitated by programs that increase traceability and labeling of seafood within the state. We found consensus among groups that aquaculture is important in the state and national seafood sector now and will become more important in the future. Finally, there was strong preference in our study against reliance on foreign imports, a mismatch with the current trade landscape. In sum, our work highlights areas of alignment and contention within key interest groups for the future direction of and vision for marine aquaculture in California. California may be at an inflection point for marine aquaculture, and the success or failure of efforts to expand aquaculture will likely rest on how well policy can respond to the input and preferences of key communities and interest groups.

Regularization Methods for High-Dimensional Data as a Tool for Seafood Traceability

Seafood traceability, needed to regulate food safety, control fisheries, combat fraud, and prevent jeopardizing public health from harvesting in polluted locations, depends heavily on the prediction of the geographic origin of seafood. When the available datasets to study traceability are high-dimensional, standard classic statistical models fail. Under these circumstances, proper alternative methods are needed to predict accurately the geographic origin of seafood. In this study, we propose an analytical approach combining the use of regularization methods and resampling techniques to overcome the high-dimensionality problem. In particular, we analyze comparatively the Ridge regression, LASSO and Elastic net penalty-based approaches. These methods were applied to predict the origin of the saltwater clam Ruditapes philippinarum, a non-indigenous and commercially very relevant marine bivalve species that occurs commonly in European estuaries. Further, the resampling method of Monte Carlo Cross-Validation was implemented to overcome challenges related to the small sample size. The results of the three methods were compared. For fully reproducibility, an R Markdown file and the used dataset are provided. We conclude highlighting the insights that this methodology may bring to model a multi-categorical response based on high-dimensional dataset, with highly correlated explanatory variables, and combat the mislabeling of geographic origin of seafood.

Gut microbiota fingerprinting as a potential tool for tracing the geographical origin of farmed mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis).

Identifying the provenance of seafood is critical to combat commercial fraud, enforce food safety regulations and ensure consumers' confidence. Hence, the current study aimed to determine if the bacterial composition present in the digestive gland and stomach of M. galloprovincialis mussels could be used as traceability approach to discriminate their geographic origin. The microbiota of 160 mussels collected seasonally in 2019 from five different mussel farms located in three regions in Spain (Galicia, Basque Country and Catalonia) was characterized using 16S rRNA targeted amplicon sequencing. Results showed that the bacterial community composition/fingerprint was significantly different between harvesting locations and seasons, with the effect prompted by the origin exceeding the seasonal variability. To further evaluate the stability and potential of this traceability approach, the bacterial fingerprint of 20 new individuals collected from the Basque Country in autumn 2020 were compared to the profiles obtained in 2019. Results showed that mussels collected from the Basque Country in two consecutive years cluster together, even matching the season of harvesting. The findings of this preliminary study support that this methodological approach has the potential to trace the geographical origin of unprocessed mussels and could have potential uses in seafood traceability and food safety.

Emerging monitoring technologies to reduce illegal fishing activities at sea and prevent entry of fraudulent fish into markets

National and global priorities are increasingly focused on the concurrent marine fisheries challenges of food security, illegal fishing, and declining fisheries resources. Molecular genetics and electronic monitoring technologies can advance solutions to these challenges, particularly in fisheries surveillance and seafood traceability, and a growing number of studies continues to validate the utility of these tools. What is needed next is guidance to support their wider, more conventional adoption and implementation, either complementary to or in the absence of government policies. Here, we synthesize discussion held during the Borchard Foundation Colloquium held in July 2022 in Missillac, France on modernizing global fisheries with emerging technologies. Our aim is to provide perspectives to scientists, resource managers, and policy makers of emerging monitoring technologies, summarize the utility of these technologies in fisheries, and conclude with how the objective to modernize global marine fisheries is a prime opportunity to engage fresh talent in a new era of fisheries innovation.

Blocking blockchain: Examining the social, cultural, and institutional factors causing innovation resistance to digital technology in seafood supply chains

Digital technologies such as blockchain, smart contracts, QR codes, and fintech are forecast to improve the transparency, sustainability, and efficiency of supply-chains in numerous sectors. However, such innovations may face greater resistance and implementation challenges in some sectors more than others. Here, we conduct 24 interviews with fishers, aquaculturists, restaurants, and industry experts around existing blockchain applications seeking to enhance seafood traceability and trackability in Australia. We combine innovation resistance theory, principal-agent theory, and the theory of planned behaviour to reveal how institutional norms and socio-cultural dynamics are deterring blockchain adoption. For example, the seafood industry exhibits limited digitization and automation, and an oligopoly of wholesalers with the power and networks to control the supply chain – against a backdrop of food fraud claims. Results suggest blockchain could threaten the competitive advantage of wholesalers, since it would reverse existing asymmetries around trade, price, and provenance information. Furthermore, despite favouring the decentralisation and information sharing that blockchain provides, other supply chain actors were hesitant to adopt it through fear of jeopardising relationships with these wholesalers upon which their business models rely. We assert that blockchain will only drive transformative change if the most influential supply chain actors see value in using it.

Trust your seaweeds: Fine-scale multi-elemental traceability of edible seaweed species harvested within an estuarine system

Seafood traceability is a matter of concern for producers and consumers, providing insights that can simultaneously inform the consumers on the origin of the product, nutritional value and safety while adding market value to the products. Edible seaweed harvest has been pointed out as an environmentally friendly sustainable food production solution. Ulva spp. and Fucus vesiculosus are among the most abundant naturally occurring estuarine seaweeds with high biomass production on the Portuguese coast, making them a potentially important seafood resource. Seaweed elemental signatures chemometric analysis made it possible to confirm species authenticity with 100 % accuracy, which can be of major importance for powdered seaweed food supplements certification. Using the seaweed thallus elemental signatures through Variable Importance in Projection Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis (VIP-PLS-DA) it was also possible to pinpoint the harvest location of the seaweeds with 82.5 and 92.5 % accuracy for F. vesiculosus and Ulva respectively. These same multi-elemental signatures were also able to depict the harvest season of the seaweeds (100.0 and 85.0 % accuracy for F. vesiculosus and Ulva respectively). Analysing the elements with higher importance for the PLS-DA models, it was evident that several elements with higher discriminatory ability are linked to anthropogenic sources. Considering the anthropogenic pressure gradient in the Tagus estuary, it is no surprise that these elements have a fine-scale spatial variability. While providing key models for fine-scale spatial traceability of seaweeds, the multi-elemental signatures here presented also provide key insights on their nutritional value in terms of recommended mineral daily intake, given that in some of the harvest areas analysed, seaweed thallus presented values above the maximum admissible threshold for human consumption. Thus, the developed models can be of added value for seaweed consumers, authorities and stakeholders, namely for the safe and sustainable development and monitoring of conservation and harvesting plans within estuarine systems.

Can copper isotope composition in oysters improve marine biomonitoring and seafood traceability?

This study provides the first geographic and temporal large-scale analysis of Cu stable isotope compositions in indigenous oysters to biomonitor anthropogenic Cu inputs in aquatic systems. It includes oyster samples from French marine environments with distinct Cu-pollution levels and histories and extends over several decades of biomonitoring. Sample series composed of oysters from the same season and similar size/age intended to avoid biological biases. Oysters in macrotidal estuaries (Loire and Gironde, Western France) display fluctuating Cu concentrations without clear temporal trends, challenging to infer anthropogenic influence. Conversely, the time series of their Cu isotope ratios indicate a constant proportion of natural and anthropogenic Cu sources since the 1980s. In contrast, Cu isotope compositions in oysters from the progressively developing locales (urbanization and recreational boating) of Arcachon and Vilaine bays shift positively over time, along with increasing Cu concentrations. This finding suggests a gradual augmentation in the bioaccumulation of anthropogenic Cu over time. Thus, Cu isotope compositions in oysters is an unambiguous and robust approach to pinpoint anthropogenic Cu contamination in marine biomonitoring. Furthermore, Cu concentrations combined with isotope compositions yield site-specific fingerprints allowing geographic discrimination among oysters. This two-dimensional Cu signature is promising as a tool for seafood traceability.

Restaurateurs’ context, decisions, and views on supporting sustainable seafood: Insights from Chile

While restauranteurs are important actors in seafood systems, information on their decisions and views on sustainability is lacking. Using mixed methods, we explored Chilean restauranters’ contexts, decisions, and views on seafood sustainability. Menus in Chile are diverse and dominated by domestic and wild-caught sources. Restauranters are willing to participate in traceability programs, especially when it is for both sustainability and health safety reasons. Restauranters believe that seafood is an elite resource and high prices are inhibiting access. They also believe patrons care little about seafood sustainability yet are willing to pay a premium for it. This contradiction suggests a mechanism for activating values via situational factors. While demand and benefits for seafood traceability programs appear present, challenges threaten successful implementation. Complex socio-economic factors, such as affordability, elitism, and inequity, need to be integrated into traceability program design to contribute to the necessary transformation of seafood systems.

Isotope Geochemistry for Seafood Traceability and Authentication: The Northern Adriatic Manila Clams Case Study.

In Italy, the production of manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum, Adams and Reeve, 1850) is mainly localized in northern Adriatic lagoons in the Po River delta, where shellfish farming provides important socio-economic revenue. However, in our globalized world, the seafood market is threated by fraudulent activities, in which agri-food products whose provenance is not certified are sold, posing a risk to consumer health. Multi-isotope ratio analysis is commonly used to trace the provenance of goods produced in different countries with different climatic and environmental conditions. Here, we investigated the reliability of this approach in terms of tracing the exact provenance of manila clams harvested in three Adriatic northern lagoons that are close to each other. We also verified the origin of samples bought at a local supermarket with a certificate of provenance. We carried out elemental analyses of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) and the respective isotopic ratios (13C/12C; 15N/14N; 34S/32S) on manila clam tissues, plus isotopic analyses of carbon (13C/12C), oxygen (18O/16O), and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) on manila clam shells. Each isotopic parameter can be used to identify the marine and continental contributions of water and/or nutrient supplies occurring in the lagoons. Therefore, the combination of isotopic parameters in a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) allowed for the identification of the lagoons in which the manila clams were produced.

온라인 플랫폼을 활용한 수산식품 구매요인 우선순위 분석

Purpose The purpose of this study to explore factors consumers prioritize when purchasing seafood online. The originality of the study lies on adopting AHP-based approach in analyzing prioritized purchasing factors of seafood online. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted targeting Korean consumers who have purchased seafood online. AHP method was applied to rank factors consumers prioritize before making decision. Findings First, product’s factor ranked first among other high level factors including delivery service, seller, online platform. Second, sanitation, taste, country of origin ranked first, second, third respectively, within product’s factors. Third, safe delivery, timeliness, information accuracy ranked first, second, third respectively, within delivery factors. Fourth, consumer reviews, consumer response ability, promotion ranked first, second, third within seller factors. Fifth, Personal information management system, credibility, user-friendliness ranked first, second, third, within online platform factors. Research implications or Originality To activate seafood online market, it is crucial to assure consumers that the seafood is well managed in a sanitary way from the production site to table. Existing government programs such as seafood traceability system, HACCP, and cold-chain infrastructure needs improvement. Due to highly perishable characteristic of seafood , delivery factors matter when purchasing online. Online platforms needs to continue to improve delivery service. Seafood products are mostly not branded and without objective information about their properties. Creating quality classification and seafood brands are likely to help consumers chose seafood online.

Investigation of the Impact of Can-filling Medium on the DNA Quality of Canned Tuna Sold in Supermarkets

Canned tuna is one of the most commonly consumed food products globally. Due to its high profitability and the increasing demand for it, fraudulent canned tuna products have become a serious problem. The traceability of fish species in packaged material and, in the case of highly processed forms, in canned products, has become impossible; therefore, canned tuna is on the list of the top ten food items affected by fraud. These fraudulent actions cause not only unfair trade in the commercial market and fishing industry, but also cause health damage (such as allergies and poisoning) to the public. Complex food matrices also affect the extracted DNA quality when the main food products are served with another medium. Brine solutions, different kind of oil, and several types of sauce are used as filling medium in the canned tuna production process. These filling medium can cause contamination depending on whether they include oil, salt or other ingredients during DNA extraction from main products. DNA-based protocols have become popular due to their higher reliability rate compared to other protocols. This research investigates the potential impact of can-filling medium on DNA quality, which is a key factor for food traceability research. With this aim, canned tuna from various brands in different can-filling medium such as olive oil, sunflower oil and different kinds of sauces, were obtained from a Turkish supermarket. The quality properties, such as yield and purity, affected the traceability analyses. This study was designed to investigate the potential effect of the filling medium on DNA quality. The results revealed that different kinds of sauce utilization as a can-filling medium cause a reduction in the DNA quality of canned tuna compared to other canned tuna samples that contain olive oil and sunflower oil. The purity of extracted DNA in canned tuna where olive oil was used was found to be relatively higher than other tuna groups with different can-filling medium. Melting curve analyses revealed that sunflower oil causes relatively lower degradation than olive oil and different types of sauce used as filling medium. These results could be beneficial for further seafood traceability research, especially in complex matrices. 

Consumers’ Preferences for the Traceability Information of Seafood Safety

Due to importing food and the perpetual changes from conventional wet markets to supermarkets in emerging markets, consumers have the opportunity to base their buying decisions on traceability systems. Seafood traceability systems involve information on production mode, inspection notes, sustainable sources, and sources of origin to provide consumer protection and help ensure that all seafood is safe to consume. This study aims to explore seafood markets by assessing the demand for traceability information attributes by utilising data from an experimental survey in an emerging market such as Bangladesh. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and a conditional logit model. The results demonstrate that consumers are concerned regarding vitamins, cholesterol, and preservatives, while they are little concerned about microbiological contamination, pesticide residues, genetic modification, and additives or artificial colours. The difference between the mean willingness to pay (WTP) for traditional and sustainable farmed fish is higher than that between the mean WTP for conventional and sustainable wild fish. In a ranked-choice voting system, the ‘production mode’ and ‘claim of safety control (e.g., being formalin-free)’ were the first and second most influential attributes in fish choices. The outcomes of the econometric model revealed that consumers are more likely to prefer traceability information about fish control (e.g., formalin-free), and they want to pay a price premium for this information. Alternatively, consumers are less likely to prefer farmed and imported fish, and their WTP for these fishes are highly inflated. This finding may be because consumers use wild and local origin as a cue for food safety or quality. This study hopes that the effects of such traceability information will optimise the production process and supply chain and help make seafood recall management more effective.

From catch to plate

From catch to plate