What’s the catch? Menus across Australia to show seafood’s country of origin

Hospitality venues now need to inform customers if the fish and seafood on their menus is Australian or imported. Photograph: Lucas Martin/Little Image Co/Supplied View image in fullscreen Hospitality venues now need to inform customers if the fish and seafood on their menus is Australian or imported. Photograph: Lucas Martin/Little Image Co/Supplied What’s the catch? Menus across Australia to show seafood’s country of origin From 1 July, restaurants need to tell customers whether their fish and seafood was caught in Australia or overseas Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast From 1 July, diners across the country will see a small but notable change on menus. The federal government has made it mandatory for hospitality venues to designate a seafood product’s country of origin: “A” for Australian, “I” for imported and “M” for mixed. The government says the system, known as “Aim”, will provide more information to customers about what they’re eating and support local business in the process. The general manager of Seafood Industry Australia, Julie Petty, who lobbied for the change said the labelling will help bring restaurants into line with information on seafood packaging. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email “Most Australians don’t realise it, but about 64% of seafood is actually imported,” Petty said. “For the first time it really provides that clarity to the end consumer, and frankly it provides informed choice about what it is you’re going to spend your money on.” The changes cover businesses beyond restaurants and cafes, including market stalls, food trucks, fast food venues and those serving food for “immediate consumption”. Businesses can opt to display A, I or M beside a menu item, akin to a “GF” (gluten free) or “V” (vegetarian) designation. They can also use detailed wording to comply: “Sydney rock lobster” doesn’t work, but “Australian Sydney rock lobster” or “Sydney rock lobster – Australian origin” does. There are some exclusions, such as dishes that only contain shelf-stable seafood items like canned tuna, shrimp paste or fish stock. Food service providers in schools, hospitals and prisons are exempt. Juan Carlos Negrete, the chef and co-owner of Maiz, a Mexican restaurant in Sydney’s Newtown, said his business had been aware of the changes for a few months. He used the shift as an opportunity to make adjustments to the menu and highlight Australian seafood, despite its cost. “It’s a product that has a higher cost for us, so obviously it’s important for us that the customer understands where our food is coming from and why certain items might look like they’re probably a little bit pricey,” Negrete said. “But a lot of consumers now are looking to understand or justify the cost of these dishes. For us it just shows transparency, and it hasn’t been a huge disadvantage.” He said some hospitality owners he’d spoken with hadn’t heard of the shift to the Aim system until recently, prompting a rush to reprint