Fishy business – MRU research exposes deception in Calgary’s seafood market

Cases of culinary deception have surfaced in Calgary, with seafood being sold under false identities and landing on the plates of unsuspecting diners.

A newly published study, co-authored by Dr. Jon Mee, PhD, an associate professor at Mount Royal University, along with colleagues from two other Calgary institutions, reveals the extent of seafood mislabelling in the city. Supported by teams of research assistants, the group analyzed more than 450 seafood samples from across Calgary.

The findings, published in PeerJ Life and Environment in September 2024, are striking.

About one in five seafood products sold in Calgary was mislabelled, with vague or incorrect market names concealing the true identity of the products. Even more concerning, some of the mislabelled species were endangered, raising serious conservation issues.

“People should be concerned about what's going in their mouths,” Mee says. “The only way to manage that is by knowing exactly what we’re buying and what we’re allowing to be caught."

Mee also warns that certain species, depending on their place in the food chain, may carry higher concentrations of contaminants such as mercury, posing health risks for humans, particularly for certain at-risk groups like pregnant women and young children.

And it’s not just about our health — it’s about the environment, too. According to Mee, Chair of the Biology department at Mount Royal, it’s becoming harder to find commonly fished species that aren’t in decline.

"Clear labelling and certification are key to making sustainable, informed choices,” Mee says. “I want to know if my salmon is from a well-managed population in Alaska or a Fraser River sockeye, which is struggling.”

The gene detective behind the study

Mee, who proudly calls himself a "gene hunter," never planned on diving into the murky waters of seafood mislabelling. His background is in evolutionary biology, studying the genetics of fish populations. But the chance to involve his students in a project with real-world stakes was too good to pass up.

The project got its roots in the lab of Dr. Sean Rogers, PhD, at the University of Calgary, where Mee and his co-authors, Dr. Matthew Morris, PhD, and Dr. Mindi Summers, PhD, first crossed paths.

Fast forward a few years to the start of the study in 2014. Morris, the lead author at Ambrose University, had conducted similar research. Summers, a marine biologist at the U of C, brought her deep knowledge of invertebrates like shrimp and squid to the table. Together, they created an ambitious plan to see if Calgary consumers were getting what they paid for.

From markets to DNA labs: uncovering the truth

Armed with DNA barcoding kits, students collected seafood from grocery stores, restaurants and markets across Calgary. After taking tissue samples and photographing packaging, the samples were sent for DNA analysis.

“What we found was surprising to many students,” Mee says. “In many cases, the label didn’t tell the whole story.”

The study uncovered two main types of mislabelling: vague labelling, like listing "cod" without specifying the species, and outright substitutions, where one species was sold as another.

One of the most startling discoveries? A product sold as cuttlefish balls turned out to be a critically endangered threadfin porgy.

With the results out now, the study marks a couple of important firsts.

While similar research has been conducted elsewhere in Canada, this is the first large-scale investigation into seafood mislabelling in Alberta. What sets it apart even further is its scope — unlike most previous studies that focus solely on finfish, this one casts a wider net by including both invertebrates such as shrimp and squid, alongside traditional fish species.

A hands-on research experience

For the MRU students involved, this was more than a typical classroom assignment — it was a chance to roll up their sleeves, conduct real research and contribute to impactful findings that are now published for the world to see.

Carolyn Ly, a former student in Mee’s molecular ecology class, recalls her experience collecting samples from a popular all-you-can-eat sushi spot. While her samples of salmon and tuna sashimi came back as expected, she noticed a troubling trend with white fish like tilapia being mislabelled as premium red snapper.

Some of her classmates, particularly those with ties to Alberta’s fishing and hunting culture, were shocked to discover that not everything on their plates was what it claimed to be.

“As an Albertan, I thought I had a pretty good sense of where my food came from, especially with the Alberta beef (marketing) campaign,” Ly says. “But this project made me rethink and reevaluate all the people, industries and effort that go into growing and catching food, transporting it to grocery stores — all so we can make a meal at home.”

Beyond collecting research samples, Ly and her classmates took the initiative to raise awareness on campus, setting up booths and creating educational posters to inform their peers about the risks of seafood mislabelling. Through a letter-writing campaign, they pushed the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to implement higher labelling standards.

Nearly seven years later, Ly reflects on the support she received from her campus community with gratitude — especially for her professor, Mee.

“MRU has always been a place that not only encourages undergraduate research but also gives students opportunities to share their findings with the community in a meaningful way,” she says.

The tradition of undergraduate research continues today. Mount Royal University offers hands-on learning opportunities, with the 2023-2030 Academic Plan enshrining a commitment to expanding research opportunities for undergraduate students of all backgrounds.

What’s next for seafood labelling?

Though the study is complete and published, Mee believes it’s only the beginning of wider efforts to reform seafood labelling laws in Canada, which currently trail behind those of other countries, including the United States.

He encourages consumers to support retailers with transparent labelling practices, adding, “if we demand better, retailers will be forced to adopt more accurate practices.”

Looking ahead, Mee’s research plate is full — from supervising a study on threats to Alberta’s bull trout to studying lake trout diversity in the Yukon and exploring fundamental questions of evolution. But, while his focus returns to fish genetics and conservation, the seafood mislabelling study has left a lasting impression.

“It showed us how much can be accomplished when science and education come together for real-world impact,” Mee says.