A high proportion of red snapper sold in North Carolina is mislabeled

Abstract

Seafood mislabeling occurs when a market label is inaccurate, primarily in terms of species identity, but also regarding weight, geographic origin, or other characteristics. This widespread problem allows cheaper or illegally-caught species to be marketed as species desirable to consumers. Previous studies have identified red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) as one of the most frequently mislabeled seafood species in the United States. To quantify how common mislabeling of red snapper is across North Carolina, the Seafood Forensics class at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill used DNA barcoding to analyze samples sold as “red snapper” from restaurants, seafood markets, and grocery stores purchased in ten counties. Of 43 samples successfully sequenced and identified, 90.7% were mislabeled. Only one grocery store chain (of four chains tested) accurately labeled red snapper. The mislabeling rate for restaurants and seafood markets was 100%. Vermilion snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens) and tilapia (Oreochromis aureus and O. niloticus) were the species most frequently substituted for red snapper (13 of 39 mislabeled samples for both taxa, or 26 of 39 mislabeled total). This study builds on previous mislabeling research by collecting samples of a specific species in a confined geographic region, allowing local vendors and policy makers to better understand the scope of red snapper mislabeling in North Carolina. This methodology is also a model for other academic institutions to engage undergraduate researchers in mislabeling data collection, sample processing, and analysis.

DNA barcoding reveals global and local influences on patterns of mislabeling and substitution in the trade of fish in Mexico

“…The snapper fishery ( pargo ) is officially recognized as deteriorated or at its Maximum Sustainable Yield in the Gulf of Mexico [ 52 ]. It is also one of the most widely mislabeled species in the US [ 55 ] and one of the most popular and controversial fisheries in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico [ 56 ]. Snook ( robalo ) is officially at its Maximum Sustainable Yield for the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, and a monitoring plan was recommended to be implemented for its assessment [ 52 ].…”

DNA Barcoding of Commercially Important Snappers (Genus Lutjanus (Pisces: Lutjanidae)) from Aceh Waters, Indonesia

“…Snappers are one of the most "mislabeled" commodities in fisheries products across various countries [36][37][38]. According to several studies, snapper-processed fish products are sometimes substituted with less valuable species for highervalued ones.…”