Several Gulf Coast fishermen’s organizations reached out to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission within the past week as the federal agency wrapped up receiving comments from the public on possible updates to regulations pertaining to “Made in the U.S.A.” labeling.
The agency is looking to bolster the rule and mandate that anyone who labels the product they’re selling have a reasonable understanding that “all or virtually all” of the product was either made or harvested in the United States, including shrimp.
Southern Shrimp Alliance Executive Director John Williams said in his comment on the regulation the label will help U.S. shrimp producers sell their product domestically.
“The outpouring from across the shrimp industry in support of the FTC’s proposed rule reflects the frustration that we all feel that people continue to be bamboozled into buying imported shrimp,” Southern Shrimp Alliance Executive Director John Williams wrote. “The time for selling foreign, pond-raised, contaminated shrimp as if it were freshly caught off of one of our shrimp boats is over and we will no longer tolerate the practice.”
Other trade groups joined the SSA in offering comments. The Louisiana Shrimp Association noted it worked with state lawmakers to pass a law requiring restaurants to note on menus or boards if the shrimp or crawfish used are imported products.
The group wants the FTC to issue a similar update to its regulations that would keep establishments from making claims or giving the appearance that products are American-made. In some instances, restaurants may tout imported shrimp as “Gulf shrimp.”
“These deceptive practices not only confuse consumers, but fatally undermine the marketing efforts of restaurants that do carry domestic shrimp,” Louisiana Shrimp Association President Acy Cooper Jr. wrote in a 10 September letter to the FTC.
Texas Shrimp Association Executive Director Andrea Hance said those who flout origin-of-product rules should face punishment. She recalled informal research the group conducted three years ago where it found shrimp was misrepresented as domestic at the vast majority of restaurants targeted.
Hance thinks the new rule could “stabilize” the domestic shrimp industry.
“It's a slap in the face to the hardworking fishermen, many of who've gone broke trying to pay for all the regulations imposed by our federal government – forcing us to compete with cheap imported shrimp entering our country with virtually no oversight whatsoever and left to wonder if this law had been in place (and enforced) if they would still be in business,” Hance wrote.
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