Senator Maria Cantwell. (Photo: United States Congress)

Congressional spending bill provides legislation for pollock

UNITED STATES
Friday, December 18, 2015, 03:10 (GMT + 9)

A bill changing the market name of “Alaska pollock” to “pollock” will be included in the Congressional spending bill.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell said the bill would essentially outlaw Pollock harvested in Russia from being passed off as “Alaskan Pollock” in the supermarket.

The bill also includes a provision clarifying that only pollock “harvested in the State waters of Alaska or the exclusive economic zone […] adjacent to Alaska” may be labelled as “Alaskan Pollock” or “Alaska Pollock,” ADN reported.

According to the legislator, Alaskan pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) is one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world, “And American consumers deserve to know whether they are purchasing this high quality product or a cheap alternative with a misleading label."

The measure will enable Americans “to shop with confidence, knowing that they are buying the real thing and not a knock-off,” she added.

In 2012, 51,2 million kilos of Russian Pollock, which is less sustainable and lower quality than pollock from Alaskan fisheries, was sold to U.S. consumers as “Alaska pollock.”

The Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) supports the initiative for many reasons. On the one hand, it argues that the use of "Alaska pollock" as acceptable market name is misleading for consumers because it suggests a reference to a geographical origin and not to a particular type of food.

It also states that the use of that trade name is incompatible with other similar fish species.

Finally, it emphasizes that the U.S. government programs support other efforts to provide accurate information to consumers about the seafood they purchase.

As a result, American fishing companies should also label their fish in the same way, but they could add that is captured Alaska. That would help marketing efforts to launch their fish as a high quality product, sustainably caught.

Related aticle:

- New legislation proposes changing Alaska pollock's name

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