Labeling Farmed Seafood

Aquaculture supplies almost half of the world’s seafood consumption. As the market for farmed seafood matures, an increased differentiation through the use of labels is expected. Labels can be categorized as mandatory or voluntary, depending on whether the label is required by law or not. In most developed countries, mandatory seafood labels include information about species, whether the seafood is farmed or wild, and area of origin. Voluntary labels frequently includes information regarding sustainability, organic production, and safety. We discuss labeling practices and conduct a review of consumer studies related to labels used for farmed seafood.