McCollum settles fake grouper case

Two years after the St. Petersburg Times exposed a raft of bogus grouper served in Tampa Bay area restaurants, the Florida Attorney General's Office has reached a civil settlement with the nation's largest supplier, which imported and distributed some of the fish.

Under the agreement, Sysco Food Services -- West Coast Florida Inc. will donate $100,000 worth of food to local soup kitchens and charities as well as pay $200,000 to reimburse the state for its investigative costs and fees.

"Grouper is an important part of Florida's market and everyone gains from ensuring that our restaurants are receiving and serving the real thing,'' Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum said in a release. (story here)

Comments

Really? The state of Florida spent $200,000 on an investigation over some fish when consumers probably couldn't tell the difference anyway? Why isn't McCollum investigating things that matter, like predatory student loan companies, banks that are forclosing on homeowners after they swindled them into taking a sub-prime mortgage and a myriad of other issues that really matter. God, we should have elected Skip Campbell. Just wait until McCollum starts black listing people for being communists.

Fake Fish = Public Enemy #1?

Great, now fake fish will be labeled as "grouper cousin" and Sysco will jack up prices until they get their $300,000 plus legal fees back. GOOD WORK OFFICER STADANKO!

"That guy gypped me. Put daisy stems on my roses."

2:49-

You probably couldn't tell whether you are getting a gallon of gas when you pay for it either...but i bet you'd be pissed if you found out you got shorted.

Fraud is fraud.

That being said, i bet Sysco wasn't the one that changed the label. It was probably imported and mislabeled in China.

"Sysco will jack up prices until they get their $300,000 plus legal fees back."

Probably true. I'd do the same as would any business.

[Robert]

Kudos for McCollum operating under the rule of law. There is no reason consumers should be cheated when they order food in a restaurant and any restaurant that is caught more than once selling catfish for grouper should be closed for at least a week. Cheating on fish is stealing and the punishment should fit the crime.

Florida’s waters provide a wonderful array of fresh Florida seafood to enjoy. Unfortunately, there have been instances where some wholesalers, retailers and restaurants have substituted lesser-value fish on their menus. The lesser-value fish are from places like China or Vietnam and are not the same species as wild-caught Florida fish.

Be wary of grouper prices that are suspiciously low. Because the supply of Florida grouper is limited, the price is generally around $11 to $13 per pound wholesale filet value, and the retail value -- the price paid by consumers -- will be even higher. Prices that are considerably lower likely mean that the fish is not grouper, but instead is a substitute species of lesser value, such as basa, Asian swai, sutchi or tra catfish.

http://www.fl-seafood.com/consumers/grouper_substitution.htm

Bill McCollum is clearly on the cusp of cracking a criminal empire the likes of which Florida has never seen. Today it's fake grouper tomorrow it's chicken fingers that are neither chicken nor fingers. Something must be done!

Bill McCollum is like Brooksville Batman.

4:26-

As weird as it sounds, it is a criminal empire. See link below.

http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2007/jan07/noaa07-r101.html

Many of these importers also use their business a front for other illegal activity.

4:47-

Yeah, but dont you think this could be taken care of by simple market principles. If the fish is bad, or doesnt taste like grouper, than consumers won't buy it and the company goes out of business.

For our states Attorney General to waste time and resources on this is ridiculous! McCollum knows better, he's a smart guy who has dealt with some pretty heavy issues.

thieves get away under republicans. yet again. yet again. yet again. yet again.

remember where bill mccollum was on election day? on the street corner with rick baker.

remember rick's dad?

[Bill Details from the Top McCollum]

is annoying and dumb.

They will just start selling it as grooper - like krab meat...

can it be $100,000 worth of fake grouper?