U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.-1) urged the Administration to include fraudulent labeling of crabmeat in its efforts to combat fishing and seafood fraud. Some seafood processors are deceptively labeling foreign crabmeat as a “product of the United States” by importing foreign crab meat and repacking it in domestic facilities, misleading consumers as to its origin.
“Maryland’s seafood industry is critical for jobs on the Eastern Shore and our way of life,” Senator Mikulski said. “When families read the crab meat they’re consuming is the product of the United States, they expect it to be. We must end the practice of dangerous and deceptive labeling of imported crab meat that puts in jeopardy the livelihoods of Maryland’s watermen.”
“Consumers deserve to know that Chesapeake Bay products are really from the Chesapeake Bay and are not foreign imports skirting seafood fraud laws,” said Senator Kaine. “I look forward to being briefed on actions underway to combat seafood fraud and safeguard the livelihoods of Virginia watermen.”
