Another reason not to order seafood:
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — What the undercover agents ordered, over and over, was the grouper.
What wound up on their plates could stifle anyone’s appetite.
The alleged grouper at 17 of 24 area restaurants sampled by the investigators was actually another, less desirable species, according to a DNA analysis conducted for the state attorney general’s office and released earlier this month. Asian catfish. Emperor. Painted sweetlips. And twice, types of fish that could not be identified.
[…] In this area that some consider the national capital of grouper — more than three-quarters of the U.S. catch comes from Florida’s Gulf and a grouper sandwich downed at a waterside bar is cherished as an authentically Floridian repast — the finding has amplified a local outrage that, experts say, points to a larger national problem of fish fakery.
[…] In August, the St. Petersburg Times reported that at six of 11 area restaurants sampled, the “grouper” was actually something else, according to DNA tests. One restaurant was charging $23 for “champagne braised black grouper” but was instead serving tilapia.
A television station in Fort Myers and the Daytona Beach News-Journal followed with similar findings.
Consumers are blaming the restaurants — restaurants are blaming the suppliers — suppliers are blaming domestic catch limitations and their import partners.
(via kottke)
Suppliers are blaming catch limits? It’s all those wacky environmentalists fault that they have to lie.
The idea seems to be that they are forced to import large amounts of fish, which come in boxes, from untrustworthy furriners.
…Or….they are buying cheap fish and passing it off as Roughy.
Geee…so hard to decide which it is.
My ancestors evolved out of the ocean to avoid eating fish, so it’s hard for me get too worked up about it.
Now, if someone was passing dog meat off as filet mignon … that I’d demand government action about!