Top 10 U.S. seafood industry stories of 2014

3. Trafficking troubles: The U.S. State Department downgraded Thailand to a Tier 3 trafficking nation designation, indicating that the country has not done enough to curb the ongoing human-rights problems in a number of industries, including seafood. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called it “slavery, even in the 21st century. There cannot be impunity for those who traffick in human beings. It must end.” Thailand, for years the top supplier to the U.S. shrimp market, has faced intense criticism since the British newspaper The Guardian published the results of its investigation into abuses, naming huge industry player CP Foods, among others, as offenders. The Thai government has responded, facing questions at industry events like Seafood Expo North America.