HomeConsumer guide

How to read a seafood label

Decode every common origin claim, certification and additive — and know what changes 1 July 2026.

The 30-second version

  1. Look for ‘Product of Australia’ — strongest origin claim.
  2. Beware ‘Made in Australia from imported ingredients’ — seafood is imported.
  3. Insist on AFNS species names (e.g. ‘King George whiting’, not just ‘whiting’).
  4. Sulphite warnings usually signal imported prawns.
  5. From 1 July 2026, restaurants and fishmongers must show country of origin on cooked seafood too. Country-of-origin retail food labelling

Every claim, decoded

Product of AustraliaStrong

All significant ingredients and processing in Australia. Strongest origin claim available.Country-of-origin (seafood) Info Standard 2025

Grown in AustraliaStrong

Used for farmed produce; species was raised in Australia.

Australian (with kangaroo logo + bar chart)Strong

Mandatory CoOL on packaged food: green-and-gold triangle plus % bar shows Australian content.Country-of-origin (seafood) Info Standard 2025

Made in Australia from imported ingredientsWeak

Substantially processed in Australia, but the seafood itself is imported. Read carefully.Dept Industry CoO labelling hub

Packed in AustraliaWeak

Only packaging happened locally — seafood can be 100% imported.

Imported / Country: Thailand (or other)OK

Honest origin disclosure — not necessarily a bad thing, but compare to local options.

Sulphite-treated / Contains sulphitesWarning

Common preservative on imported prawns. Mandatory disclosure under FSANZ rules.FSANZ chemical residues

Glazed (with water)OK

Frozen seafood often has water glaze — declared weight should be drained weight.

Snapper (no AFNS species name)Warning

If a fishmonger or restaurant sells 'snapper' without the AFNS approved name, beware substitution.Australian Fish Names StandardAMCS / Minderoo DNA fish-ID

Wild caughtOK

Species was caught from natural waters. Common on Spencer Gulf prawns, MSC-certified WRL, Coral Trout.

FarmedOK

Species was raised in aquaculture. Australian salmon, barramundi, oysters and pearls are farmed.

MSC-certifiedStrong

Marine Stewardship Council standard — independent third-party assessment of fishery sustainability.MSC certified fisheries registry

ASC-certifiedStrong

Aquaculture Stewardship Council — equivalent to MSC for farmed product.

What changes 1 July 2026

The Cool-Fi (Cooked Fish) Information Standard extends Country of Origin Labelling to cooked seafood at fishmongers, takeaways, restaurants and clubs. Operators must display whether each cooked seafood item is Australian, Imported, or Mixed.Country-of-origin retail food labelling

See our Operators guide for a compliance checklist and menu examples.

Helpful next reads

Sources

Sources cited on this page

  1. Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2025Australian Government — Federal Register of Legislation, 2025
    Becomes enforceable 1 July 2026 for seafood for immediate consumption.
  2. Country of origin labellingDepartment of Industry, Science and Resources, 2025
  3. Chemicals in food — surveillance and standardsFood Standards Australia New Zealand, 2024
  4. AS SSA 5300 — Australian Fish Names StandardFisheries Research and Development Corporation, 2022
  5. DNA testing of Australian restaurant seafoodAustralian Marine Conservation Society / Minderoo Foundation, 2022
  6. MSC certified Australian fisheriesMarine Stewardship Council, 2024