Victorian fish and chip shop owners back origin labelling push for seafood

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Victorian fish and chip shop owners have backed a campaign that would require them to let customers know where their meal was caught.

A phone survey of 17 shops found most already sold seafood caught in Australia and supported a Senate inquiry recommendation that would force cafes, restaurants, pubs and takeaway shops to reveal where their dishes came from on menus and boards.

The government is due to respond next month to the report by theLabor-led committee, which found the seafood labelling would benefit consumers, local fishers and the national economy.

If adopted, it would expand to cooked food the country-of-origin labelling required of seafood sold in supermarkets and fish markets.

Con Patsaotis, owner of Australian Seafood Fish and Chippery in Coburg North, said he fully supported the change.

"We have been labelling the fish for a number of years. I believe that people should know what they're eating and what they're paying for and it will be good for the local fishermen as well," Mr Patsaotis said.

Since labelling became mandatory for supermarkets in 2006, Australian trawl fishing industry turnover has increased from $4 million to $30 million. Sale of Australian snapper has increased by 400 per cent.

Most of the fish and chip shop owners interviewed said they already sold only Australian fish, despite it increasing costs that are passed on to customers.

This does not reflect the national picture. Evidence to the inquiry last year suggested about 75 per cent of seafood eaten in Australia was imported, though 90 per cent of Australians said they would prefer to buy local fish.

In Melbourne, a fillet of fried Australian gummy shark, or flake, at Australian Seafood Fish and Chippery costs $6, compared with imported Chinese flake at Munchies Fish and Chip Shop in Fawkner for $4.70. Certified sustainable fish at Hooked, in Fitzroy, is $7.95.

"Unfortunately, imported seafood is cheaper," said Ray Good, owner of Hooked. "We have to charge a bit more, but everything we sell is local and fresh."

The push to introduce compulsory country-of-origin labelling was opposed by the Queensland Government, NSW Food Authority and Department of Agriculture on the grounds it would increase regulatory obligations and cost. Greenpeace, the Australian Marine Conservation Society and WWF Australia said the proposal did not go far enough in ensuring sustainability of fish stocks.

The Seafood Importers Association of Australia told the inquiry that mandatory labelling would push up prices, and cited a study that found two-thirds of Australians could not afford to eat fresh local seafood regularly and one-third could not afford to eat frozen Australian seafood regularly.

Flake is by far the most popular fish sold in Victoria's fish and chip shops. Australian Marine Conservation Society fisheries program officer Tooni Mahto said salmon, flathead, King George whiting, barramundi and calamari were more sustainable sources.

"In terms of abundance, there are no concerns about gummy shark. Our concern is about the sustainability of the fishery because you can't catch gummy shark without catching endangered school shark," she said. Fishing for gummy shark could also lead to other species, such as dolphins, being caught as bycatch.

Mr Good said he was baffled by Victorians' love of flake when he moved to Australia from England. He said he did not sell it due to concerns about overfishing.

"We've had people walk in and ask for flake and walk out again when we tell them we don't sell it, but most people who try our sustainable alternative are happy with it," he said.

Federal Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash said the government was aware of the issues raised in the Senate report, which was tabled in December, and would consider them "in due course".