{"id":764418,"date":"2026-06-27T20:48:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T20:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/764418\/"},"modified":"2026-06-27T20:48:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T20:48:34","slug":"guide-to-new-seafood-labelling-law-changes-in-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/764418\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to new seafood labelling law changes in Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Where did the prawns in your curry laksa<\/a> come from? Is the battered fillet in your fish and chips at the pub from Victoria or Vietnam? Do you care if it\u2019s Australian tuna in your sushi roll<\/a>? <\/p>\n

Peak body Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) believes that consumers do care where their fish, prawns and lobster tails come from, and, as of next week, all restaurants must let you know if the seafood they are serving is Australian or imported. It\u2019s called Country of Origin Labelling (COOL), and after a 12-month transition period it will be mandatory from July 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How does \u2018COOL\u2019 work?<\/p>\n

Well, it\u2019s not really \u201ccountry of origin labelling\u201d, unless the country is Australia. Everywhere else in the world is lumped together as \u201cimported\u201d. The new rules state that all businesses selling seafood for immediate consumption are required to label menu items with an \u201cA\u201d, \u201cI\u201d or \u201cM\u201d to denote whether each seafood dish uses Australian, imported or a mix of both.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe menu at Old Beijing in Melbourne has been updated with the new seafood labelling requirements.Aaron FrancisWhy was the law introduced?<\/p>\n

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.<\/p>\n

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Seafood Industry Australia lobbied for this change. \u201cThe law was introduced to give consumers greater transparency and choice when purchasing seafood,\u201d says SIA chief executive John Ackerman. <\/p>\n

\u201cWith more than 64 per cent of seafood consumed in Australia being imported, the new requirements ensure diners can make informed decisions about the seafood they order. It also aligns food service businesses with retail seafood outlets, which have been required to provide country of origin information for several years.\u201d <\/p>\n

The aim is not to denigrate imports. \u201cThe introduction of country of origin labelling is not about suggesting imported seafood is inferior,\u201d says Ackerman. \u201cRather, it\u2019s about providing consumers with clear information so they can make their own purchasing decisions. Any Australians that want an option to support local fishers and seafood producers currently don\u2019t have that information when dining out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Does every food business need to comply?<\/p>\n

The rules apply to restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, takeaways and fast-food venues (including if the food is home delivered), food trucks, market stalls, hotels and motels (including room service). <\/p>\n

Canteens, schools, prisons, hospitals and one-off charity events are exempt. There is also a carve-out for food served more than 24 hours after the customer orders it, such as catering events.<\/p>\n

\"McDonald'sMcDonald’s new Filet-O-Fish labelling on Uber Eats.Uber EatsWhat about the anchovies on my pizza, the fish sauce in my bun cha, and the tuna on my melt?<\/p>\n

They are all exempt from the new labelling. Shelf-stable products, and liquids such as stock, fish sauce and bisque, do not need to be labelled. Incidental inclusions of seafood that are not integral to a dish, such as anchovies in a caesar salad, don\u2019t need to be labelled.<\/p>\n

\"AnAn updated menu at Kingsley’s in Woolloomooloo.Steven SiewertHow will menus change?<\/p>\n

Each menu item that mentions seafood \u2013 or is commonly understood to include seafood, such as \u201csurf and turf\u201d \u2013 will need an \u201cA\u201d, \u201cI\u201d or \u201cM\u201d next to it, whether that menu is printed, on a board or electronic. The menu must also have a legend to explain what A, I and M mean. <\/p>\n

If a restaurant uses only Australian or only imported seafood products, they can note that on the menu instead as a coverall. They can also choose to spell out the origin of the seafood in dish descriptions. \u201cAustralian calamari\u201d is fine, but \u201cCorner Inlet flathead\u201d would still need an \u201cA\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cImported grilled tilapia\u201d gets a pass. \u201cVietnamese prawns\u201d is not to code but \u201cVietnamese prawns (I)\u201d or \u201cimported Vietnamese prawns\u201d are OK. McDonald\u2019s has already updated its Uber Eats menus to \u201cFilet-O-Fish (contains imported seafood).\u201d<\/p>\n

John Laureti of Sydney\u2019s Cafe Lewi in Lewisham<\/a> finds the rule an overreach. \u201cWe already put the origin of the seafood on our menu so people know exactly where it\u2019s coming from,\u201d he says. \u201cOur salmon dish is labelled \u2018NZ king salmon confit\u2019. Why do I need to add that it is imported?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ClockwiseClockwise from left: Seared Hokkaido scallops with champagne beurre blanc (I); Australian tiger prawns with confit garlic butter (A); Humpty Doo barramundi (A) at Kingsley’s.Steven SiewertIs it a big deal for restaurants?<\/p>\n

Changing menus \u2013 and keeping them updated \u2013 can be a lot of work for restaurants. The legislation also requires that staff be trained in the changes, and that records of seafood origin are retained by businesses for three months. <\/p>\n

Australian Venue Co runs more than 200 pubs nationwide, plus full-service restaurants including Kingsleys Woolloomooloo. \u201cAt least 90 per cent of our venues serve at least one seafood item, so the change touches a significant part of the business,\u201d says the group\u2019s chief executive, Paul Waterson. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat said, it has not meant rethinking our seafood strategy from scratch. We were already sourcing Australian products across a number of categories, including barramundi, Tasmanian salmon, oysters and some prawns.\u201d<\/p>\n

National chain Sushi Hub moved swiftly at its 211 stores. \u201cWe got on board as soon as the changes were announced to effect a smooth, systematic implementation,\u201d a spokesperson says. \u201cThe changes have been progressively introduced to website assets and in store. The only difference is more detailed point-of-sale signage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SushiSushi outlets will have to identify where their seafood is from.Flavio Brancaleone<\/p>\n

Not every small independent business is keen on the changes, which take effect the same day as a national minimum wage increase and a requirement to pay superannuation with wages, rather than batched in arrears. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are figuring it out,\u201d says Muhammad Hanif, chef at Viet Hoa Oyster Bar & Kitchen in Sydney\u2019s Cabramatta. \u201cIt\u2019s costing us money because we have to get our menus edited. We know where our seafood comes from, but most of our customers don\u2019t care and won\u2019t know what the symbols mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OldOld Beijing co-owner Louis Kuo with a range of imported and Australian seafood at his restaurant.Aaron FrancisBut is imported seafood problematic? <\/p>\n

Not necessarily. \u201cImported seafood can be premium,\u201d says David Loh, who co-owns Old Beijing at QV Melbourne<\/a> with business partner Louis Kuo. <\/p>\n

\u201cMany of our customers prefer Chinese pipis to Australian because they never have sand in them. We get razor clams from Ireland and diamond clams from New Zealand \u2013 they are good seafood too.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Australian industry is tightly regulated, with catch limits backed by data and strong worker protections, but even so, not everyone considers all Australian seafood \u201cgood\u201d. There are concerns about Tasmanian salmon farming\u2019s effect on the natural environment<\/a>, for example.<\/p>\n

Our proximity to New Zealand also makes the \u201cimported\u201d designation somewhat of a blunt instrument. <\/p>\n

\u201cSome product previously sourced from New Zealand, including seafood caught in shared Trans-Tasman waters, now needs to be labelled imported,\u201d says Australian Venue Co\u2019s Paul Waterson. \u201cThat creates an interesting distinction for hospitality operators and suppliers, given how closely Australian and New Zealand seafood supply chains can sit together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though there are broader international concerns about sustainability and slavery in the seafood supply chain, the subtleties are not parsed with a simple \u201cI\u201d. <\/p>\n

Sydney seafood consultant John Susman finds it unhelpful to lump all imports together without distinction: \u201cA day-boat-caught snapper from New Zealand is now in the same category as a frozen imported basa fillet from South-East Asia \u2013 does this make sense or foster even more confusion?\u201d<\/p>\n

Susman believes the legislation is missing the point and is \u201ca dangerous distraction\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t tell anyone why they should care where their seafood is from. It\u2019s not a celebration of Australian seafood. There\u2019s no enthusiasm, or genuine marketing for all the things that are great about our industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sees cheaper imports as a useful pathway to enjoying seafood at all levels. \u201cNot every wine drinker starts with Grange Hermitage. The industry should motivate people to desire Australian seafood. All we\u2019re doing right now is putting up a barrier. I think it\u2019s lazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"UnderUnder the new laws, a seafood-based stock won’t need labelling, but whole prawns will.Arianna LeggieroDoes the new law mean seafood will become more expensive at restaurants?<\/p>\n

For the most part, Australian seafood is more expensive due to factors such as high wages and reduced capacity related to the closure of local fisheries and tighter catch limits. Unless it\u2019s a real feature and selling point, businesses often choose the most economical option.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing in the new rules that relates to pricing. However, if customers realise that a dish they assumed uses Australian seafood actually uses imported, that may push businesses to source locally. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat will come at a cost,\u201d says Christo Christophidis of Ripponlea Food and Wine in Melbourne. He recently put a prawn risoni on his wine bar\u2019s menu, using Australian prawns. That choice adds $5 to the cost of making what ends up being a $42 dish. <\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone prefers Aussie, but are they prepared to pay for it?\u201d he asks. <\/p>\n

Christophidis pays $32.50 for a kilogram of Indonesian prawns, and $65 a kilogram for Australian. He says the quality, appearance and flavour is comparable. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe debate taste, origin, price, margin, look of the dish and customer expectation. Using Australian prawns puts the cost of goods at 38 per cent of the selling price of the dish.\u201d He generally aims for less than 30 per cent. \u201cIt\u2019s a cost I wear for this particular dish. The squeeze is on.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Australian Venue Co, they\u2019re planning to keep an eye on the response. \u201cOur approach is to be transparent, watch guest feedback and avoid unnecessary price increases wherever we can,\u201d Waterson says.<\/p>\n

\"PremiumPremium seafood ready to become nigiri at Minamishima in Melbourne.Bonnie SavageAre there fines or penalties?<\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing stipulated in the legislation. In a statement to Good Food, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it anticipated state and territory regulators would be charged with encouraging compliance with the new laws, as most hospitality businesses are small and local. In NSW, that\u2019s NSW Fair Trading; in Victoria, it\u2019s Consumer Affairs Victoria.<\/p>\n

According to an ACCC spokesperson, \u201cSeeking court outcomes is one option for breaches of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). A pecuniary penalty may be imposed by a court for non-compliance with the seafood country of origin information standard. ACL regulators\u2019 enforcement responses are proportionate to the conduct and the resulting or potential harm.\u201d<\/p>\n

What about dining experiences without menus?<\/p>\n

They aren\u2019t accounted for in the legislation, which stipulates that the information must be supplied before the food is ordered, in writing that is clearly visible, prominent, legible and in English. <\/p>\n

Stephen Nairn oversees two-hatted Yugen Omakase<\/a> in Melbourne, where diners are talked through sushi courses as they arrive but don\u2019t receive a menu until it\u2019s emailed the next day. \u201cWe want to be compliant, but we\u2019ll have to look at what everyone else is doing with that,\u201d he says. \u201cThe last thing any hospitality business needs these days is a fine.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":764419,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[64,63,99],"class_list":["post-764418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/764418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=764418"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/764418\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/764419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=764418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=764418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=764418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}