A federal proposal to expand seafood import monitoring is getting kudos from the ocean conservancy entity Oceana, which says Americans overwhelmingly support policies to end illegal fishing and seafood fraud.
“Oceana welcomes the inclusion of additional species subject to documentation and traceability requirements and continues to call on NOAA to expand the program to ensure all seafood sold in the United States is safe, legally caught, responsibly sourced and honestly labeled,” Oceana said in a statement issued on Jan. 3. “As one of the largest seafood-importing countries, the United States has both the purchasing power and the responsibility to combat illegal fishing and its associated human rights abuses, and we can’t fully do so without expanding the seafood import control rules to all seafood.”
The comment period on the proposed rule will close on March 28.
NOAA’s current Seafood Import Monitoring Program covers only about 405 of seafood imports. Up to 85% of the seafood consumed in the United States is imported.
A report released by the International Trade Commission found that the United States imported $2.4 billion worth of seafood derived from illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in 2019. IUU fishing can include fishing without authorization, ignoring catch limits, operating in closed areas, targeting protected wildlife, and fishing with prohibited gear. These illicit activities can destroy important habitats, severely deplete fish populations, and threaten global food security. For illegal fishers, IUU fishing is a low-risk, high-reward activity, especially on the high seas where a fragmented legal framework and lack of effective enforcement allow it to thrive.
Results of a nationwide poll conducted by Oceana, which was released in January 2021, show widespread bipartisan support for policies aimed at increasing transparency and seafood traceability, the ocean conservatory entity said.
