The 207 metric tons (MT) of fish seized by Scottish authorities on 6 November in one of the country’s biggest seafood fraud investigations should not be called illegal, according to the Scottish Seafood Association (SSA).
The association identified the fish involved in the dispute as byproducts of processing of aquaculture products. According to SSA, referring to the disputed fish as illegal is not correct as it suggests an association with ‘black fish,’ which is fish caught outside EU set quotas and is a practice that has been stamped out in Scotland.
SSA said that the dispute was a labeling issue, with the fish either not labeled or using a label with an incorrect factory code, from previously approved locations which had ceased processing.
“This does not constitute illegal fish or black fish, in the terms used by EU fisheries policies and control regulations,” said SSA in a statement. “There is no quota on farmed salmon and the fish was being stored by a processing company as a service.”
The accused company has been identified as Framgord, a Shetlands-based supplier.
“The Scottish Seafood Association is not taking a position in regard to the salmon company, which is not a member of our association. We merely wish to put the matter into context and to point out that the disputed fish are not connected to recent court cases about pelagic fishermen and processors and whitefish fishermen and processors,” said John Cox, SSA CEO. “The whitefish and shellfish industries are being attacked from all direction and mixing up aquaculture products with wild-caught products is not helpful. The comments being bandied in the press this week about illegal fish can only add fuel to the fire when sensitive negotiations on white fish quotas are due to commence in the next few weeks.”
