The Fish You Order Might Not Be The Fish You Get

Investigations have revealed that a different fish was served than what was ordered in Icelandic restaurants in 22% of all cases.

RÚV reports that the research, conducted by Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D (MATÍS), showed that on many occasions, the fish a person orders is not always the fish that they get. For example, there was an instance of people ordering angler and receiving cusk instead.

“This actually confirms similar investigations that have been done before,” MATÍS programme director Jónas R. Viðarsson told reporters. “It is incredibly often around 30%. If you go to a sushi place, you can expect an even worse result.”

Jónas says that while food handlers should be able to see what kind of fish they are serving, there is no definitive explanation for the discrepancy. Some restaurants receive fish with the skin already removed, which can make it more difficult to identify its type.

That said, Jónas says MATÍS will not be releasing the names of the restaurants who served the wrong fish, as further investigations still need to be conducted to determine where on the supply chain the switch takes place.