The U.S. fish market is one of the largest in the world.

Americans spend billions every year at restaurants and retail outlets, buying a wide variety of seafood products. And one thing that some Americans might not realize is that a great deal of the fish that gets consumed in the U.S. is imported from other areas.

Some reports suggest that it's more than 80 percent or more of the consumed fish in the U.S. that gets imported. The most popular seafood choices? Shrimp, tuna, and salmon.

Americans might love eating fish, but do they really know what they're getting?

You could order catfish or tuna the next time that you visit your favorite seafood establishment but that might not be what you end up getting. It turns out that it's easy to fool people and offer them another fish than the one they ordered, and they might not ever know it.

Previous studies have found that fish fraud is rampant with both retailers and restaurants around the country.

In what's assumed as an attempt to try and save money in many cases, a variety of establishments have taken to mislabeling their seafood products. Not only has the wrong fish been mislabeled as something it's not, but the 'wild' label has also been misused on fish that's been farmed.

One previous study by Oceana that was conducted several years ago, found that roughly 33 percent of the seafood samples coming from American restaurants were being mislabeled.

A news investigation that was looking at seafood samples from around Atlanta, had found that more than a third of the restaurants that they tested had mislabeled their seafood. They also estimated that as much as 40 percent of the seafood that comes into the country is likely mislabeled. And it's not just Atlanta, it's restaurants and retailers nationwide.

In samples that came from the San Francisco Bay Area, 11 out of the 16 samples had been mislabeled.

In a previous investigation that was conducted by Oceana, areas that were found to have seafood samples that tested above 30 percent as being mislabeled, were places like Northern California, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Pennsylvania, and other regions.

It's been suggested that snapper might be one of the most frequently mislabeled seafood products on the market.

Consumers can't trust the fish that they're buying from the grocery store or getting for dinner at their favorite restaurant. It's more important than ever for them to have the right information to make an informed buying decision. Luckily, technology today makes it easy for us to research where our food might be coming from, with dozens of apps and other tools available that can help us conveniently scan and get more information about what we're buying.

One solution for the fish market has been the Sea to Table seafood supplier that's offered delivery of quality seafood products around the country. They look to provide trusted seafood products that are wild, domestic, have no hormones, no antibiotics, no GMOs, and are traceable. They've been having a lot of success with their home delivery service model, however they too have been the target of accusations that even they've mislabeled their fish.

U.S. lawmakers recently asked the NOAA to investigate them and where they are getting their fish from; after an AP investigation claimed that they were mislabeling their products.

Another alternative that's sprung up for those looking to get fish from perhaps more trustworthy sources is the Fulton Fish Market site. (FultonFishMarket.com) They offer an extensive assortment of seafood products and they deliver around the country. This startup has been described as 'the Amazon of fish', and their market platform provides very detailed information to consumers about the seafood product that they're buying such as the catch method that was used, where it comes from specifically, and more.

Ideally, you should be able to order fresh fish straight to your door within 24 hours. They've described their goal as being focused on delivering reasonably sourced seafood to those who are looking for it. They've described their business as one that's seeking to provide fish that has been caught with methods that minimize the environmental impact, on the regions which the fish is harvested from.

The more information that the consumer can obtain about where their food is coming from and what's going into the growing process etc, the more informed a decision they can make for themselves and their families.

Pics:
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Sources:
http://www.iflscience.com/environment/at-least-onequarter-of-the-fish-you-buy-is-a-lie/
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/china-japan-us-top-list-of-world-seafood-consumers-study-2087368.html
http://www.alaskafishradio.com/us-millennials-eating-seafood-ever-aim-healthier-natural-products/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2017/05/26/no-more-fake-fish-now-you-can-get-real-wild-caught-seafood-straight-to-your-kitchen/
http://nationalpost.com/life/food/fake-fish-study-finds-nearly-half-of-sushi-served-at-restaurants-is-mislabelled
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/most-popular-seafood-products-in-the-united-states.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/03/bait-and-switch/388126/
https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/dining/bait-and-switch-are-restaurants-mislabeling-fish/EUlx2E66ySFUqhVhqiTnjJ/
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/04/27/testing-shows-many-bay-area-restaurants-mislabeling-fish/
https://oceana.org/sites/default/files/National_Seafood_Fraud_Testing_Results_Highlights_FINAL.pdf
https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-news-wire/PRNews_20180321NY44581/fultonfishmarketcom-fresh-seafood-from-sea-to-shining-sea.html
https://www.fastcompany.com/40416063/the-amazon-of-fish-wants-to-get-americans-eating-more-seafood
https://www.eater.com/2018/6/14/17460682/sea-to-table-mislabeling-sustainable-seafood-associated-press-report