Federal agents investigating seafood shipments recently discovered that several imports of tuna were mislabeled, with DNA testing revealing discrepancies between the product labels and the actual species. Diego Cardeñosa, a shark conservation biologist from Florida International University (FIU), assisted officers from the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement in Los Angeles to use portable DNA testing kits designed for rapid and accurate identification.
Cardeñosa described the process: “We conducted real-world inspections to test the tool in real cases with great results. During the week-long trial, the officers are trained in DNA extractions and running the PCR to identify these species.”
The team inspected imports at both the Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles International Airport. They found that some fish filets had been incorrectly labeled as protected species. The DNA tests confirmed that these products were not endangered, allowing shipments to proceed without unnecessary delays or risk of law enforcement action under the Endangered Species Act.
During their pilot operation, officials examined eight imports of fresh and frozen shark and tuna meat. In addition to finding mislabeled tuna—such as big eye, yellow fin, blue fin, and albacore—they also identified shark species listed under international agreements regulating trade in endangered wildlife.
This effort is part of an ongoing partnership between FIU and NOAA aimed at expanding field-ready forensic science at major inspection points across the United States. Last year, Cardeñosa worked with agents in New Jersey using similar techniques to uncover illegal eel shipments. These projects highlight how DNA detection can serve as an effective enforcement tool alongside its research applications.
Cardeñosa’s work is conducted through FIU’s Institute of Environment and Global Forensic and Justice Center.
