Following the legislation’s passage in the U.S. House, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi) has introduced a version of the Save Our Shrimpers Act in the U.S. Senate.
The bill would instruct the U.S.’ representatives at international financial institutions like the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank to vote against funding for shrimp farming projects in other nations. The U.S. domestic shrimp industry has expressed frustration over the years that those institutions – which are supported with U.S. tax dollars – have supported foreign shrimp enterprises that ostensibly compete with their own product.
“America’s shrimpers are tough and don’t mind fair competition, but for too long they’ve had to battle heavily subsidized foreign producers operating on an unfair playing field. The fact that U.S. dollars are aiding and abetting that unfair competition is appalling and must come to an end,” Hyde-Smith said in a release.
Introduced by U.S. Representative Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and other Southern lawmakers in 2024, the House finally passed a version of the legislation in a 391-18 vote on 12 May 2026.
Now, Hyde-Smith has introduced a version in the Senate to help pass the legislation into law.
“I commend Congressman Nehls for advancing the Save Our Shrimpers Act through the House, and I’m proud to introduce a companion bill in the Senate that sends a clear message that we’re committed to fighting for America’s shrimping industry,” Hyde-Smith said.
The legislation is backed by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, the Texas Shrimp Association, the South Carolina Shrimpers Association, the Louisiana Shrimp Association, Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United, the American Shrimp Association, and the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA).
“The Save Our Shrimpers Act represents a meaningful effort to level the playing field and safeguard the shrimping grounds, ensuring a fair, transparent, and sustainable framework for domestic shrimpers and related industries,” Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United Director Ryan Bradely said in a release.
