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The Resource Library

Tools, whitepapers, and the complete glossary.

Free downloads to put the I-CADMUS framework to work — for the consumer at the counter, the buyer at the desk, and the regulator drafting next year's policy.

Tools & Downloads

Free, practical, and ready to use today.

Everything in this section is free. Some tools require an email address so we can send you updated versions when the framework is revised.

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Consumer · PDF

Fraud Scorecard

A pocket-size scorecard you can take to the supermarket or restaurant. Walks through the seven I-CADMUS categories with red flags for each.

2 pages · 0.4 MBDownload ↓
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Interactive · Web

I-CADMUS Quiz

A 20-question diagnostic that tells you which fraud type you're best at spotting and which deserves more attention. Free, no signup.

10 minutesTake quiz →
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Industry · DOCX

Audit Checklist Generator

Generate a customised supplier-audit checklist for your category and risk profile. Outputs as Word and PDF for compliance teams.

Generator · webOpen tool →
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Reference · PDF

Glossary Download

A printable A-Z reference of every term used in the I-CADMUS framework. Keep it next to the desk for procurement and policy work.

16 pages · 1.2 MBDownload ↓
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Demo · Web

QR Scanner Demo

See what end-to-end traceability looks like. Scan a sample I-CADMUS QR code and view the full vessel-to-plate provenance record.

Mobile-friendlyTry demo →
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Featured · Course

Certification Course

The full eight-module course leading to the I-CADMUS Certified credential. Free to start. Self-paced.

12–15 hoursEnrol now →
Whitepapers & Research

Long-form work from the I-CADMUS team.

In-depth research papers and policy briefings written by the SCA team and academic partners.

Policy · 2026

The Five-Pillar Policy Playbook for Seafood Integrity

The full playbook of legislative and regulatory recommendations: mandatory naming, DNA verification, real penalties, supply-chain transparency, and consumer rights. Includes draft legislative language and implementation case studies.

42 pages · 3.1 MB · By the SCA Policy Team
Download PDF ↓
Case Study · 2025

How DNA Verification Exposed Retail-Scale Species Substitution

A 12-month research programme with a national retail chain. We tested 1,200 samples across 30 stores. Includes methodology, results, statistical analysis, and recommendations.

28 pages · 2.4 MB · With Bond University
Download PDF ↓
Briefing · 2026

Why Food Safety Has to Start with Truth in Labelling

A short briefing for food-safety practitioners on why I-CADMUS sits in front of HACCP, not against it. Aimed at industry training officers and regulators.

12 pages · 0.8 MB · By Hon Prof Roy D. Palmer
Download PDF ↓
Research · 2025

The Economic Cost of Seafood Fraud in OECD Markets

An estimate of the consumer-welfare loss caused by mislabelling, dilution, and substitution across major OECD seafood markets, with sensitivity analysis on enforcement scenarios.

68 pages · 4.7 MB · Working paper
Download PDF ↓
A–Z Glossary

The complete glossary of seafood-fraud terms.

Every term used in the I-CADMUS framework, defined plainly. Bookmark this page or download the printable PDF in the Tools section.

ACDGHIMPSTUW
A
Adulteration
The third I-CADMUS category. Adding undisclosed substances — chemicals, water, brines, additives — to seafood to bulk weight or mask quality.
AS 5300
Australian Standard for fish names. The reference for legal species nomenclature in Australian commerce. I-CADMUS recommends AS 5300 (or local equivalent) as foundational policy.
Audit checklist
A structured list of supplier-verification questions and tests, generated for a specific product category and risk profile. Available as a free I-CADMUS tool.
C
Catch documentation
Vessel-level records linking a specific catch to a specific vessel, location, and time. Required to detect IUU laundering at port of entry.
Codex Alimentarius
The international food code maintained by FAO and WHO. I-CADMUS aligns with Codex traceability and labelling standards.
Counterfeit
The second I-CADMUS category. Forged certifications, fabricated origin claims, and manufactured brand identities applied to product with no legitimate provenance.
D
Deglazing
Removing the protective ice glaze applied to frozen seafood, usually by thawing under cold running water. Essential for measuring true net weight.
Dilution
The fourth I-CADMUS category. Adding ice glaze, water, or cheaper species to make a pack appear heavier or more premium than it is.
DNA verification
Laboratory testing that confirms the species of a seafood sample by genetic markers. The single most decisive tool against substitution fraud.
G
Glazing
A thin protective ice coating applied to frozen seafood to prevent freezer burn. Legitimate at 5–10% by weight; fraud territory begins around 20%+.
Grey channel
An informal supply route where seafood moves through a chain that bypasses standard traceability. See Unreported.
H
HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. The food-safety management system the seafood industry leans on. I-CADMUS sits in front of HACCP — answering "is this product what it claims to be?" before HACCP asks "is it safe?"
I
I-CADMUS
The seven-category seafood-fraud taxonomy: Illegal, Counterfeit, Adulteration, Dilution, Misrepresentation, Unreported, Substitution. Published by the Seafood Consumer Association.
Illegal (IUU)
The first I-CADMUS category. Catch from illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing laundered into legitimate supply chains via paperwork manipulation and port-hopping.
M
Misrepresentation
The fifth I-CADMUS category. False origin, harvest-method, or sustainability claims while the species itself is correctly identified.
P
Phosphate treatment
Soaking seafood (commonly scallops, prawns, white fish) in phosphate solutions that bind water and increase pack weight. Legitimate when disclosed; fraud when undisclosed.
Port-state measures
Inspection and documentation requirements for fishing vessels at port of entry. Critical for catching IUU laundering before product enters the legal supply chain.
S
SCA
Seafood Consumer Association. The independent body that publishes I-CADMUS and operates the certification network.
Substitution
The seventh I-CADMUS category. Selling one species under another's name. The most familiar fraud and the costliest to consumer trust.
Sulphites
Preservatives used to prevent black-spot in prawns and other crustaceans. A common allergen that must be disclosed; undisclosed use falls under Adulteration.
T
Traceability
The ability to follow a product through every step of its supply chain, from vessel to plate. End-to-end traceability is the backbone of fraud prevention.
Transhipment
Transferring catch between vessels at sea. A common laundering point where IUU product is mixed with legal product and documentation is rewritten.
U
Unreported
The sixth I-CADMUS category. Product moving through informal supply chains that bypass standard traceability requirements.
W
Wild-caught
A method claim asserting product was harvested from natural fisheries rather than aquaculture. Often falsified — see Misrepresentation.
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Is I-CADMUS a regulator or a standards body?+
Neither. I-CADMUS is a framework published by the Seafood Consumer Association — an independent advocacy body. We work alongside regulators (AS 5300, FRDC, Codex) but we don't have enforcement powers ourselves. Our role is to give the industry a shared classification language.
How do I report seafood fraud I've spotted?+
Use the public reporting form on the Contact page. Reports are forwarded to relevant regulators where appropriate, and aggregated (anonymously) to inform our annual fraud pattern report.
Can I cite I-CADMUS in academic or policy work?+
Yes. The framework, glossary, and whitepapers are released for reference and citation. The book Sea of Deception (forthcoming, 2026) will carry the formal citation reference. Please email us if you need an early citation block.
How is this different from existing food-fraud frameworks?+
Most general food-fraud frameworks are too generic to be useful in seafood specifically — and most seafood-specific work focuses on substitution alone. I-CADMUS is the first seven-category taxonomy built for the seafood industry, by industry practitioners, paired with certification and policy infrastructure.
Are the tools really free?+
Yes. The scorecard, quiz, glossary, and the consumer tier of the certification course are free and will remain so. We charge for business and industry tiers because they include audit tooling, support, and partner-network features.

Need a specific tool built for your team?

Industry and regulator partners can request bespoke audit templates, training materials, or research extracts. Most are delivered within four weeks.

Request a tool → View certification