Sushi must be frozen 24 hours before serving?

Early this morning, while enjoying my cofffee I’m reading through the ADN newspaper and I see a small news article titled: “Restaurants, obliged to freeze”. At first, I thought it was some mistake or some old law that isn’t really put into practice. Then searching the net I find Spanish Health Organisation articles confirming this new law (Dec 2006).

What does it mean? What is so confusing? Well two thoughts spring to mind when reading the law extracts: “With the new measure approved today, restaurants will be obliged to freeze fish before serving it [raw/rare] during at least 24 hours” and “they are obliged to inform the customer that the products have been frozen”. So if I understand correct, Sushi Restaurants will be freezing their fish before serving. If fish doesn’t get served, then at the end of the day it has to be frozen again? This could mean fish that doesnt get served over a period of 2-4 days will be frozen and defrozen 2-4 times? And customers need to be informed? If I go to a fish restaurant and they tell me the fish has been frozen I will be turned off! I want fresh fish and not some frozen fish which has no taste.

Time will tell how this is put into practice or how people will react… Anyhow, I take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!