Expansion of e-commerce will boost sales Innovative e-trading will help the seafood industry deliver the highest quality product to consumers, a Seafish conference heard. The nature of fishing operations, with vessels working for days at a time, has meant it has traditionally been difficult to control every link in the product chain. But new electronic information systems have been developed that will result in a sea change in fish marketing. An increasing number of fishing boats have adopted accurate weighing and labelling systems, and are able to electronically transmit that information to shore buyers to provide forward notification of supplies. The use of catch information systems empowers fishermen to reassess their sales method, investigate alternative options and get the best deal for their catch. It has also been shown that the adoption of weighing and labelling systems can act as a catalyst to improving boxing practices and thus enhance the quality of fish landed. Robin Mitchell, Sainsbury's quality manager for Seafood, said consumers needed reassurance that all safety issues were being addressed and properly managed. He said: "The greatest challenge is in traditional wild-capture fisheries and we need a traceability system that is realistic and deliverable." {{MEAT }}