Seafood eco-labels have been a lot of things over the years: a must-have ticket to certain customers, a shield against NGO attacks, and to some, an expensive burden.

Now, exposes in India and China have called into question just how thorough the auditing process is for companies carrying certification, and if those labels are enough assurance.

While sustainable seafood expert Andrew Mallison of Fishthink says certification has played one of the most important roles in making fisheries and aquaculture supply chains better, businesses and consumers are often confused on just what those eco-labels are telling them.