Local Euro MP backs consumer campaign for honest fish labelling

Arlene McCarthy

Labour MEPs have voted to support an amendment that will enable shoppers to know the date their fish was caught, rather than the date it was landed. The right wing majority in the European Parliament voted down the amendment, however.

A recent survey conducted by the magazine "Which?" that shows that eight out of ten British consumers want to know the date their fresh fish is caught.

"Consumers like to know their fish is fresh, and the present rules only tell you when the fish was landed in port not when it was caught," said Local Labour Euro MP, Arlene McCarthy

"This was an opportunity to support the small-scale fishing boats in coastal communities, who go out on a daily basis and come back with their smaller, but fresher, catches.

"The rules which have been agreed only tell consumers when the fish was landed, but it doesn't help me when I go to my local fish market and I want to know how fresh the fish I'm buying is.”

The European Parliament's Socialist and Democrat Group, of which Labour is a part, put forward an amendment to improve fish labelling rules in legislation which is part of the Common Fisheries Policy reform going through the European Parliament today. Right wing groups, including the British Conservatives, voted against the amendment.

Labour and its allies supported the the new legislation overall, but want to see the rules on labelling and consumer information improved.

"We wanted to see labels on fish in supermarkets that show the species name, the area the fish was caught or farmed, the production method and date of catch so consumers can make informed choices," Arlene added.

"We fully support new "ecolabel" which was agreed today, so from now on people will know more about the sustainability of the fish they are buying.

"Regardless of the high reliability of the technologies for preserving the fish as fresh, consumers want accurate information to inform their choices," said Arlene.