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Plain sailing: seafood labelling is easier than you think
Clear, simple and transparent: How The Dock delivers seafood labelling with confidence.
So obviously being Canberra, we're landlocked, we're not on the ocean.
Unfortunately we don't have fishing trawlers rocking up to the dock.
It is a lake.
The Dock, we're situated on the Kingston foreshore in Canberra, so one of the only pubs actually on the water.
We have a pub menu, but we'd like to think it's a little bit elevated.
We do have quite a few seafood items and it's quite seasonal as well.
So the summer,
We like to showcase Aussie tiger prawns, big buckets of prawns, always a bit of a hit for the customers.
As well, we've got battered fish, which we import our battered fish just due to quality and availability.
And then we've also got stuff coming into the winter menu, so like pots of mussels, which we'll be getting from Port Lincoln, South Australia.
So the seafood country of origin labelling
So it's quite easy to understand.
So firstly, AIM, A stands for Australian, I for imported and M for mixed.
And like most menus now with, I guess, all your allergies and dairy free, gluten free, it's just going to be another little symbol once the customers see like a clear key down the bottom of the menu what the A, I&M will stand for.
I think it'll be very transparent and also quite easy for the restaurant owner or the pub owner to implement.
Yeah, it can chop and change whether it's from Australia or imported.
Of course, it's quite easy just to write on a specialist chalkboard, A if it's from Australia or I if it's imported.
So it's definitely a very easy task.
We're definitely finding now that customers are probably seeking more information out of the restaurants they're attending and pubs.
We almost feel like it's more of a level playing field because you're not trying to hide in anything or where it's from, you're just displaying exactly where it's from and sometimes the best products will be imported and we'll be showcasing that as well.
But yeah, to be transparent to our customers, we think for a very small change on the menu, our customer base is going to be informed to make the best decision.
I was able to source the right information just on business.gov.au.
And it was a very clear and very practical way on how to display this information to the customer and how restaurant pub owners are able to do that.
I do think it's a win-win for both the business and the customer and it's not too much effort either.
With the sounds of Lake Burley Griffin lapping in the background, The Dock is a Canberra-based gastropub that prides itself on serving the best seafood and supporting local produce.
‘Our menu is a little bit elevated,’ says owner Glen Collins. ‘We have seasonal seafood items, such as in the summer we like to showcase Aussie tiger prawns, and we import our battered fish due to quality and availability. Then we've also got the winter menu, with pots of mussels, which we'll be getting from Port Lincoln, South Australia.’
New country of origin labelling rules are mandatory for seafood in hospitality settings as of 1 July 2026. Glen has updated the menus to make it clear his customers know where their seafood is coming from.
It’s a bit of a no-brainer – a win-win for both the business and the customer.
The new AIM labelling model
The AIM model eliminates consumer guesswork about the origin of seafood in their meals. It breaks it down into 3 simple categories:
- A – Australian
- I – imported
- M – mixed, meaning it contains both Australian and imported seafood.
The Dock has chosen to use the single letter label (with a legend) option next to all seafood items on its menu and specials board.
‘It’s not too much effort to make it very visible and clear to the customer so they know where their food is coming from,’ Glen says. ‘It’s a bit of a no-brainer – a win-win for both the business and the customer.’
‘The seafood country of origin labelling is quite easy to understand,’ Glen explains. ‘Having a clear key at the bottom of the menu, to show what the A, I and M stands for, makes it very transparent and quite easy to implement on the menu.
‘It definitely has suited us because we have 2 menus – a winter and a summer menu – and it can be a bit of a cost printing out all the menus. But July is a good start date because we had enough time to implement the menu changes.’
Supporting Aussie suppliers
It may be far from the ocean, but The Dock likes to support local seafood suppliers where possible.
‘Being in Canberra, we're landlocked, we're not on the ocean. Unfortunately we don't have fishing trawlers rocking up to the dock, but we do our best to source our seafood from local fishmongers,’ Glen says.
As a proud Australian business, it’s important for the team at The Dock to keep things local where they can.
‘We’ve got local brewers, and our meats and seafood are ideally from Australia. We’re extremely proud to be an Aussie pub,’ Glen says. ‘We do our best to get the best product in front of the customer for an affordable price. You do get a lot of local Australian products along with imported products as well.’
The seafood country of origin labelling is quite easy to understand. Having a clear key at the bottom of the menu, to show what the A, I and M stands for, makes it very transparent and quite easy to implement on the menu.
Telling the origin story
Glen is enthusiastic about how the new AIM model creates a uniform standard when it comes to menu transparency.
‘We feel like it’s more of a level playing field because you’re displaying exactly where the seafood is from,’ Glen explains. ‘Our seafood suppliers are very transparent and they’re very clear on where our food is coming from, whether it’s imported or from Australia.
‘We like to be ahead of the game and display where our seafood’s from. We're definitely finding that customers are seeking more information from restaurants and pubs. The hospitality game has definitely lifted, especially in Canberra, and to showcase the quality of your product, the AIM model clearly illustrates that.’
I’d say to other business owners it’s not complicated. Jump onto business.gov.au – it's quite simple. It's just another couple of letters after seafood items on your menu.
A straightforward transition
For Glen and his team at The Dock, implementing the AIM model has been straightforward.
‘I've definitely got bigger pains than implementing the AIM model,’ Glen laughs. ‘Once you’re rolling out seasonal menus, it’s similar to most menus now with all your allergies and dairy free, gluten free. It's another little symbol after your prawns, battered fish or fish burger that says A, I or M.
‘Sometimes your seafood may change because of suppliers or a shortage, and when that supply does change your Aussie sandwich becomes imported for just one week or two. It’s easy to update your chalkboard temporarily, or put stickers on your menu to cover the A into an I for two weeks,’ Glen explains.
‘I’d say to other business owners it’s not complicated. Jump onto business.gov.au – it's quite simple. It's just another couple of letters after seafood items on your menu.’
Further information
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Learn more about the seafood labelling requirements and how your business can comply.
Labelling seafood in your hospitality business