When I am away I like to pack a good supply of canned goods. In particular, canned fish.
Now, I am a keen "Australian Owned and made" supporter and when I can, I only buy those products.
Did you know, that you cannot buy Australian made and packed tinned fish? Its all packed in Thailand. i.e. Australian Product shipped to Thailand and then shipped back in cans.
I emailed SAFCOL about this issue. Here is the double talk excuse they replied (at least they replied)
"No canned tuna on the market is canned in Australia. Every single brand is canned off shore. Safcol has a cannery in Adelaide that employs Australians, and the canned seafood we import helps sustain our factory, and keeps Australians employed, we make canned soups and baby foods in that factory for various private label and other brands. Safcol still assists Australian fishermen by getting a fair price for their catch at the Safcol fish market in Adelaide. Safcol is a proud tuna brand and we have our own seafood cannery in Thailand that is what makes us different from all other tuna brands, we have our own off shore cannery that funds Australian jobs.
Our Factory has a number of government as well as international awards and certifications for working conditions, and quality standards. Our factory is constantly audited by large retailers from the US, Europe and Australia, as well as third party NGO audits. The highest quality and hygiene standards are adhered to, and we adhere to FSANZ standards (Food Standards Authority Australia and New Zealand). Four quality checks, at various stages per production run are instituted for every production run, and each tuna batch is tested prior to production. Our factory has HACCP accreditation, part of which is testing each batch for any potential infectious threats. We are also audited when our product reaches Australia, by Australian Government Authorities. It is for that reason that we have been in operation for 70 years and are proud of our quality.
Commercially canning tuna in Australia is not viable, primarily because of the price consumers will be asked to pay, being about $6 a can for a product they currently buy for $1 to $2 a can. The main reasons why canning Australian caught tuna is not commercially viable is firstly the labour and operating costs, and secondly the responsible quota management arrangements in the Australian fishery. Southern Bluefin Tuna is a high value species caught in Australian waters and quota restrictions mean that even if we paid the high price it commands, there is not enough tuna on the market for commercial canning purposes.
Kind regards,
Alexandra
Customer Service Head Office
Ph. 1800 819 785
Safcol Australia Pty Ltd.
189 Philip Highway
Elizabeth South SA 5112
Not Happy Jan.. Or should I say Sharon
Tony LEE said
07:19 AM Mar 19, 2021
I dont buy Thai prawns and I don't buy canned fish with Thailand written on the label because of reports of slavery on boats operating out of Thailand.
Don't like tuna anyway so that is no loss. Lot of John West is packaged in Asia so that is off the menu too.
Paramount Wild Alaska pink and red salmon, dolphin friendly, Australian company marketing it and product of Alaska is what we buy. If I could find frozen Alaska salmon here I would get that too, but seems only Tasmanian farmed salmon is available and they are not exactly leaders in responsible practices. No choice so I do buy it.
(given the claims of the last bit of that email from safcol, it is pretty obvious that their product is not sustainably sourced)
-- Edited by Tony LEE on Friday 19th of March 2021 07:22:41 AM
peter67 said
11:15 AM Mar 19, 2021
Ian Urbina wrote a book recently called 'The Outlaw Ocean' it makes harrowing reading, particularly when it comes to crewing boats.
msg said
11:18 AM Mar 19, 2021
Or, I took it to mean that the tuna that is available is sent overseas as sushi tuna, where they get premium prices.
Its sad that living in a country surrounded by ocean we can get little or no fresh seaford. Except fish that is grown in filthy waters and under disgusting practices overseas or farmed fish whose origins are far from desirable. Even Barramundi comes from overseas.
peter67 said
06:50 PM Mar 19, 2021
There was a write up in our West Aussie paper years ago about farmed fish in Asia. Stinking muddy pools and DDT and other poisons.
Gundog said
11:08 AM Mar 22, 2021
Canned Fish or anything canned other than Baked Beans or Spagetti is not on our shopping lists
Frozen is Ok, but Fresh is Best
Peter_n_Margaret said
03:33 PM Mar 22, 2021
msg wrote:
Its sad that living in a country surrounded by ocean we can get little or no fresh seaford. Except fish that is grown in filthy waters and under disgusting practices overseas or farmed fish whose origins are far from desirable. Even Barramundi comes from overseas.
There is plenty of fresh (never frozen) fish available from markets in Oz.
Barramundi is farmed in every state in Australia except Tasmania.
Cheers,
Peter
Plain Truth said
03:53 PM Mar 22, 2021
msg wrote:
Or, I took it to mean that the tuna that is available is sent overseas as sushi tuna, where they get premium prices.
Its sad that living in a country surrounded by ocean we can get little or no fresh seaford. Except fish that is grown in filthy waters and under disgusting practices overseas or farmed fish whose origins are far from desirable. Even Barramundi comes from overseas.
msg,you are having us on.This is our fresh fish market,all Australian produce.
We recently holidayed in Port Macquarie and expected to be able to get lots of lovely fresh fish and seafood. The local fish shop however only had overseas sourced seafood and only one or two local fish products. We also noted that on our last holiday at Eden there was no local fish or seafood anymore. The nearest supplier of local fish and seafood was at Merimbula (We bought some of the Merimbula produce at a "Mr Whippy" like van which visited our caravan park in Eden).
msg said
02:28 PM Mar 26, 2021
Thats my experience also Derek.
Buzz Lightbulb said
03:25 PM Mar 26, 2021
peter67 wrote:
There was a write up in our West Aussie paper years ago about farmed fish in Asia. Stinking muddy pools and DDT and other poisons.
I saw a show on TV where the sewage output was directed into the prawn or fish farm somewhere overseas. We don't by any fresh fish unless it's from Australia.
There was a write up in our West Aussie paper years ago about farmed fish in Asia. Stinking muddy pools and DDT and other poisons.
I saw a show on TV where the sewage output was directed into the prawn or fish farm somewhere overseas. We don't by any fresh fish unless it's from Australia.
There is no option Buzz for canned fish. Its all canned in Thailand.
Greg 1 said
05:57 PM Apr 2, 2021
I don't even buy Australian farmed fish. Have you eaten farmed Barramundi from Cone Bay? Although it's salt water bred, it tastes completely different from wild caught salt water Barra which is delicious. Wouldn't think it's the same fish. I think it's the muck they are fed. Farmed tastes to me muddy and slushy.
Clarky 1 said
11:13 AM Apr 3, 2021
Greg 1 wrote:
I don't even buy Australian farmed fish. Have you eaten farmed Barramundi from Cone Bay? Although it's salt water bred, it tastes completely different from wild caught salt water Barra which is delicious. Wouldn't think it's the same fish. I think it's the muck they are fed. Farmed tastes to me muddy and slushy.
A little off the original topic but I have found that the farmed Kingfish if compared to the wild variety is fatty and softer flesh as well.
Like some others, we buy very few items of tinned food. I dont mind baked beans but even the spaghetti is a bit plastic tasting to me.
Warren-Pat_01 said
08:24 PM Apr 3, 2021
We have no issues with eating farmed black tiger prawns - the technology was developed by AIMS. We cannot keep taking from the wild at the rate we & everyone else is.
Did you know that 75% of the fish we buy is imported - but after seeing the conditions of the fish farms in Vietnam, I think you'd have to be careful. Basa is the most common fish imported - it has white flesh & is cheap.
Coles is a significant buyer/seller of the farmed tigers - a contract that prevented the grower from going under. I've also seen the prawns in Woolies on occasion. We bought some wonderful black tigers while staying in a caravan park at Port Palmerston, just south of Sarina. There was a significant prawn farm "down the back."
Here in QLD there were trial fish farms (barra) going well in the Hinchinbrook channel, again under development by AIMS but on February 2nd 2011 a violent cyclone (Yasi) put an end to the farm. Unlike the ones overseas, there was insignificant effluent coming from the farm.
AIMS = Australian Institute of Marine Science. Any visitors to Townsville can do a tour on Friday mornings - call 07 4753 4444. I'm a former now redundant, volunteer tour guide.
oldbloke said
09:38 PM Apr 3, 2021
Yesterday had some nice tassie farmed salmon from aldi. (Frozen) Good price too. Will be adding it to the shopping list.
Greg 1 said
01:50 AM Apr 4, 2021
Cone Bay fish farm is near Broome. It is not overseas.
Prawns don't seem to have much change in texture or flavour from wild caught or farmed, but most fish seem to. At least to me any way.
Plain Truth said
06:59 PM Apr 4, 2021
Sorry to say this,your taste buds are shot.
Greg 1 said
12:46 AM Apr 5, 2021
Don't think so. Just know decent Barra when I taste it.
Talk to a Kimberley local. They won't touch the farmed stuff.
msg said
10:10 AM Apr 5, 2021
No farmed fish is a good as the real thing. My objection is, local companies are exporting all the fish overseas and this is all we are left with. Under the guise of sustainability. There would be plenty if "some" were not making obscene profits on what should be for the benefit of ALL Australians.
Rob Driver said
10:35 AM Apr 5, 2021
I dont buy much canned food these days.
From labels, not much could be guaranteed Australian.
Canned food is ok in an emergency or a weekend away but I would rather try for the fresh if possible.
Rob and I tend to agree with farmed fish. It is nowhere near as good as our own wild catch from Aussie waters.
Barra is a classic example, and while our wild catch goes overseas we are left with second rate products.
Regards
Angie
msg said
11:02 AM Apr 5, 2021
bentaxlebabe wrote:
I dont buy much canned food these days.
I don't buy much either. But it is a consideration if I break down whilst out in the middle of nowhere. We used to have good canning facilities here in Australia in which we packed all sorts of Australian produce.
Rob Driver said
12:48 PM Apr 5, 2021
msg wrote:
bentaxlebabe wrote:
I dont buy much canned food these days.
I don't buy much either. But it is a consideration if I break down whilst out in the middle of nowhere. We used to have good canning facilities here in Australia in which we packed all sorts of Australian produce.
Sadly, those canneries have mostly closed now.
As some on here know, Rob has spent most of his working life in trucks, quite often away from home for long periods and in his younger days, no fridges in trucks.
His tucker box always had a supply of canned food, he carried a bbq plate and a billy and at times heated a tin of food by placing it in the engine area next to the turbocharger or in older days, the exhaust, if he needed a quick snack.
He is over tinned food and that is probably the main reason we avoid anything in a tin these days.
Regards
Angie
edit, Rob says take the label off before heating a tin on the turbo....:)
-- Edited by bentaxlebabe on Monday 5th of April 2021 12:50:16 PM
When I am away I like to pack a good supply of canned goods. In particular, canned fish.
Now, I am a keen "Australian Owned and made" supporter and when I can, I only buy those products.
Did you know, that you cannot buy Australian made and packed tinned fish? Its all packed in Thailand. i.e. Australian Product shipped to Thailand and then shipped back in cans.
I emailed SAFCOL about this issue. Here is the double talk excuse they replied (at least they replied)
"No canned tuna on the market is canned in Australia. Every single brand is canned off shore. Safcol has a cannery in Adelaide that employs Australians, and the canned seafood we import helps sustain our factory, and keeps Australians employed, we make canned soups and baby foods in that factory for various private label and other brands. Safcol still assists Australian fishermen by getting a fair price for their catch at the Safcol fish market in Adelaide. Safcol is a proud tuna brand and we have our own seafood cannery in Thailand that is what makes us different from all other tuna brands, we have our own off shore cannery that funds Australian jobs.
Our Factory has a number of government as well as international awards and certifications for working conditions, and quality standards. Our factory is constantly audited by large retailers from the US, Europe and Australia, as well as third party NGO audits. The highest quality and hygiene standards are adhered to, and we adhere to FSANZ standards (Food Standards Authority Australia and New Zealand). Four quality checks, at various stages per production run are instituted for every production run, and each tuna batch is tested prior to production. Our factory has HACCP accreditation, part of which is testing each batch for any potential infectious threats. We are also audited when our product reaches Australia, by Australian Government Authorities. It is for that reason that we have been in operation for 70 years and are proud of our quality.
Commercially canning tuna in Australia is not viable, primarily because of the price consumers will be asked to pay, being about $6 a can for a product they currently buy for $1 to $2 a can. The main reasons why canning Australian caught tuna is not commercially viable is firstly the labour and operating costs, and secondly the responsible quota management arrangements in the Australian fishery. Southern Bluefin Tuna is a high value species caught in Australian waters and quota restrictions mean that even if we paid the high price it commands, there is not enough tuna on the market for commercial canning purposes.
Kind regards,
Alexandra
Customer Service Head Office
Ph. 1800 819 785
Safcol Australia Pty Ltd.
189 Philip Highway
Elizabeth South SA 5112
Not Happy Jan.. Or should I say Sharon
I dont buy Thai prawns and I don't buy canned fish with Thailand written on the label because of reports of slavery on boats operating out of Thailand.
Don't like tuna anyway so that is no loss. Lot of John West is packaged in Asia so that is off the menu too.
Paramount Wild Alaska pink and red salmon, dolphin friendly, Australian company marketing it and product of Alaska is what we buy.
If I could find frozen Alaska salmon here I would get that too, but seems only Tasmanian farmed salmon is available and they are not exactly leaders in responsible practices. No choice so I do buy it.
(given the claims of the last bit of that email from safcol, it is pretty obvious that their product is not sustainably sourced)
-- Edited by Tony LEE on Friday 19th of March 2021 07:22:41 AM
Its sad that living in a country surrounded by ocean we can get little or no fresh seaford. Except fish that is grown in filthy waters and under disgusting practices overseas or farmed fish whose origins are far from desirable. Even Barramundi comes from overseas.
Canned Fish or anything canned other than Baked Beans or Spagetti is not on our shopping lists
Frozen is Ok, but Fresh is Best
There is plenty of fresh (never frozen) fish available from markets in Oz.
Barramundi is farmed in every state in Australia except Tasmania.
Cheers,
Peter
msg,you are having us on.This is our fresh fish market,all Australian produce.
We recently holidayed in Port Macquarie and expected to be able to get lots of lovely fresh fish and seafood. The local fish shop however only had overseas sourced seafood and only one or two local fish products. We also noted that on our last holiday at Eden there was no local fish or seafood anymore. The nearest supplier of local fish and seafood was at Merimbula (We bought some of the Merimbula produce at a "Mr Whippy" like van which visited our caravan park in Eden).
I saw a show on TV where the sewage output was directed into the prawn or fish farm somewhere overseas. We don't by any fresh fish unless it's from Australia.
There is no option Buzz for canned fish. Its all canned in Thailand.
A little off the original topic but I have found that the farmed Kingfish if compared to the wild variety is fatty and softer flesh as well.
Like some others, we buy very few items of tinned food. I dont mind baked beans but even the spaghetti is a bit plastic tasting to me.
Did you know that 75% of the fish we buy is imported - but after seeing the conditions of the fish farms in Vietnam, I think you'd have to be careful. Basa is the most common fish imported - it has white flesh & is cheap.
Coles is a significant buyer/seller of the farmed tigers - a contract that prevented the grower from going under. I've also seen the prawns in Woolies on occasion. We bought some wonderful black tigers while staying in a caravan park at Port Palmerston, just south of Sarina. There was a significant prawn farm "down the back."
Here in QLD there were trial fish farms (barra) going well in the Hinchinbrook channel, again under development by AIMS but on February 2nd 2011 a violent cyclone (Yasi) put an end to the farm. Unlike the ones overseas, there was insignificant effluent coming from the farm.
AIMS = Australian Institute of Marine Science. Any visitors to Townsville can do a tour on Friday mornings - call 07 4753 4444. I'm a former now redundant, volunteer tour guide.
Sorry to say this,your taste buds are shot.
From labels, not much could be guaranteed Australian.
Canned food is ok in an emergency or a weekend away but I would rather try for the fresh if possible.
Rob and I tend to agree with farmed fish. It is nowhere near as good as our own wild catch from Aussie waters.
Barra is a classic example, and while our wild catch goes overseas we are left with second rate products.
Regards
Angie
I don't buy much either. But it is a consideration if I break down whilst out in the middle of nowhere. We used to have good canning facilities here in Australia in which we packed all sorts of Australian produce.
Sadly, those canneries have mostly closed now.
As some on here know, Rob has spent most of his working life in trucks, quite often away from home for long periods and in his younger days, no fridges in trucks.
His tucker box always had a supply of canned food, he carried a bbq plate and a billy and at times heated a tin of food by placing it in the engine area next to the turbocharger or in older days, the exhaust, if he needed a quick snack.
He is over tinned food and that is probably the main reason we avoid anything in a tin these days.
Regards
Angie
edit, Rob says take the label off before heating a tin on the turbo....:)
-- Edited by bentaxlebabe on Monday 5th of April 2021 12:50:16 PM