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Labelling requirements
It is industry's responsibility to properly label seafood and to provide information that is truthful and not misleading to consumers.
Fish and fish products are subject to the provisions of the Safe Food for Canadians Act and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, as well as those of the Food and Drugs Act and the Food and Drug Regulations:
- All foods, including fish and seafood products, must be labelled with information that is necessary for public health and consumer protection. This includes:
- the common name of the fish
- net quantity
- ingredients list
- Nutrition Facts table
- lot code or other unique identifier
- principal place of business where the food was manufactured
- For imported prepackaged fish, the country of origin must be clearly identified on the label, that is, the country where the fish product was last substantially transformed, for example, filleted or frozen
- Additional information, such as the location of catch, the type of fishing gear used, or sustainability-related claims, can be included on the label voluntarily, provided it is not false or misleading
- The traceability requirements in the SFCR must also be met so that unsafe foods can quickly be removed from the market through recalls, protecting the health of consumers
See labelling requirements for fish and fish products for more information.
Traceability requirements
Canada has implemented robust food traceability requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, allowing the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to take action quickly to protect the health of consumers. This includes:
- regulations bringing all food businesses that import, export, or trade between provinces or territories to the same international standard set by Codex Alimentarius, to protect consumer health and facilitate fair trading practices
- traceability requirements for all food sectors including fish and seafood, to prepare, keep and retain records — one step forward and one step back — so that the food product can be followed throughout the supply chain
- businesses keeping traceability records so they can track food products in the event of a food safety investigation or food recall in order to protect consumers and potentially minimize economic losses
These requirements are in place so that unsafe foods can quickly be removed from the market through recalls, protecting the health of consumers.
More information
- Infographic: Accurately labelled fish is important for your reputation and bottom line
- Labelling requirements for fish and fish products
- Traceability for food
- Traceability fact sheet
- Video: Traceability requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
- Preventive controls for fish
- Food safety for industry
- Food-specific requirements and guidance for fish
- Organoleptic quality of fish and fish products
- Recalls and safety alerts