NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement said a new genetics analysis device helped detect 27 tons of trafficked seafood during a recent pilot program, and the agency is hopeful the technology can help officers move more quickly in identifying illicit seafood products.
“Ultimately, we want to facilitate sustainable, legal commerce but, at the same time, interdict illegal trade,” NOAA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryan Landry said of the tool. “This new technology will help us do that more efficiently.”
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) device allows officers in the field to quickly perform genetic analysis of suspect seafood instead of sending samples out to laboratories for analysis – a process that can take weeks to provide results. Developed in collaboration with Florida International University researchers, the device works like a Covid-19 test for seafood, creating unique chemical reactions for different species of fish.
“The idea is to make this technology available to everyone so that it becomes routine to do genetic testing in the field,” Diego Cardeñosa, lead researcher on the project, said. “Then, it becomes a regular part of evidentiary support in law enforcement. This novel technology brings a lot of value to cases that law enforcement needs to handle.”
The device was tested at the Port of Newark, New Jersey, in November 2024, where it helped officers identify “more than 27 tons of fish that were determined to be illegally harvested, prohibited in trade, and listed in the annexes of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species.”
NOAA Fisheries plans to continuing testing the device at other major ports throughout 2025.
