FDA Seafood List & Acceptable Market Names

Following our recent focus on seafood mislabeling, FishWise has conducted further outreach to the FDA to better understand the FDA Seafood List.

Here are some tips to determining or verifying the Acceptable Market Names for seafood products. We suggest you check this list periodically, as names do change as the FDA makes clarifications or responds to name-change requests.

1. Search the list by seafood name, and find in the search results the exact species of interest

2. Check if that species has a special rule (indicated by a * or † next to the Acceptable Market Name), if so labeling should happen in accordance with the rule and labeled with the Acceptable Market Name listed

– e.g. search halibut to see an example of species with a special rule

3. If a species does not have a special rule it can be marketed as its Acceptable Market Name or Common Name in the Seafood List

– e.g. Lophius americanus can be marketed as its Acceptable Market Name = Monkfish, or its Common Name = Goosefish

– e.g. Dissostichus mawsoni can be marketed as its Acceptable Market Name = Toothfish or its Common Name = Antarctic Toothfish

4. If a Market Name is not listed, or to determine if a particular name can be used, refer to the Principles in Section IV of the Seafood List Guidance

If you have questions about this list you may contact the FDA by email or phone and suggestions for changes may also be submitted via email or letter.

Please note that this information is correct according to FishWise’s best knowledge, but FishWise does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided here or any actions resulting from it. As always, we suggest conducting proper due diligence and/or contacting the FDA to ensure your labeling protocols are compliant with the most recent laws.