Why Seafood Traceability Is Broken (And What’s Really on Your Plate)

Seafood is one of the most globalized food systems in the world, but that complexity comes at a cost: traceability.

In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, we break down why it is so difficult to track seafood from the moment it is caught to the moment it reaches your plate. With supply chains spanning multiple countries, processing steps that remove identifying features, and practices like transshipment happening far from oversight, even well-intentioned systems struggle to keep up.

We explore how seafood moves through a complex network of fishing vessels, cargo ships, processing plants, and distributors, and why information is often lost along the way. You will also learn about the tools scientists and regulators are developing to solve this problem, including DNA barcoding, satellite monitoring, and digital catch documentation systems.

If you have ever wondered whether the seafood you are eating is what it claims to be, this episode will give you the clarity you need to understand the system and its challenges.