Saving Seafood

How major FDA changes – both proposed and implemented – could impact the US seafood industry

April 24, 2025 — Significant proposed regulatory changes within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with large layoffs that have occurred across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – which oversees the FDA – could greatly affect seafood importers, processors, and other industry stakeholders in the near future, according to a former FDA seafood specialist.

The recent HHS layoffs, which total nearly 20,000, include personnel with expertise in seafood, traditional foods, and labeling, “leaving the FDA with lack of expertise in these areas,” said Brian Ravitch, a senior regulatory advisor at Washington, D.C., U.S.A.-based law firm Olsson Frank Weeda who also worked at the FDA for 25 years, including time spent as a seafood specialist.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

US lawmakers propose transferring blue catfish inspections back to the FDA

March 27, 2025 — Recently introduced legislation meant to improve conservation in the Chesapeake Bay region of the United States would also reduce inspection requirements for blue catfish, making it easier to operate a commercial fishery.

“The bill would also enable more watermen to improve their bottom line by harvesting invasive blue catfish,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Federal Director Keisha Sedlacek said in a statement. “This would help protect native Bay species and the seafood industry from this voracious predator while supporting the region’s economy.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

FDA pushes back Food Traceability Rule compliance to 2028

March 21, 2025 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has pushed back the compliance date for its Food Traceability Rule by 30 months.

“The compliance date extension affords covered entities the additional time necessary to ensure complete coordination across the supply chain in order to fully implement the final rule’s requirements – ultimately providing FDA and consumers with greater transparency and food safety,” the agency said in a 20 March constituent update.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

2024 FDA shrimp refusals for banned antibiotics hit highest level in eight years

February 18, 2025 — According to the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refusals of foreign shrimp for banned antibiotics in 2024 were at their highest rates since 2016.

The FDA refused 81 shipments for antibiotic contamination last year, with the vast majority of contaminated products coming from India (31) and Vietnam (18). Many of the refused shipments came from Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)-certified producers and processors.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

MASSACHUSETTS: Cans of tuna are being recalled. Does this affect Massachusetts? What to know

February 13, 2025 —  Tri-Union Seafoods brand of tuna fish being sold at Walmart, Costco and Trader Joe’s locations are being recalled, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“This voluntary recall is out of an abundance of caution following the notification from our supplier that the ‘easy open’ pull tab can lid on limited products encountered a manufacturing defect that may compromise the integrity of the product seal (especially over time), causing it to leak, or worse, be contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning,” a release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated.

Here’s what to know.

Read the full article at South Coast Today

LOUISIANA: US FDA issues recall of Louisiana oysters due to norovirus illnesses

February 7, 2025 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning retailers and restaurants not to sell certain oysters that could be contaminated with norovirus after 15 people became ill in Louisiana, U.S.A.

On 5 February, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) closed an oyster shellfish harvesting area in Area 3 and ordered a recall of all oysters harvested from that area since 10 January 2025. Fifteen people became ill with a norovirus-like illness after eating oysters from Area 3 across several New Orleans, Louisiana, restaurants between 15 and 31 January, the LDH said.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NFI, FMI push back against US FDA’s “unnecessary” new food labeling proposal

January 16, 2025 — The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and other organizations are concerned about new front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing for most packaged U.S. food products.

The FDA said the new nutrition labels would give consumers “readily visible information about a food’s saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars content – three nutrients directly linked with chronic diseases when consumed in excess.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

National Fisheries Institute Statement on FDA’s Proposed Front of Package Nutrition Panel

January 15, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

We are disappointed that the Food and Drug Administration is proposing still more significant, unnecessary regulation in the waning hours of the Biden Administration.  The proposed front of package labeling is redundant and could deliver an inaccurate message to consumers including healthy seafood in their diets.

By focusing on negative saturated fats, FDA misses the point and misleads label readers. Fish, such as salmon, contain almost entirely unsaturated essential omega-3s, the healthiest fatty acids found in any protein. Meanwhile, the planned labeling provides no way to highlight nutritious components of the product, including for fish, the unsaturated fats associated with brain and heart health.
In the case of seafood, this regulation is essentially pointless and can confuse consumers while adding an unneeded compliance burden to American producers who will need to retool their labels for the massive U.S. market.
The incoming Trump Administration should withdraw the proposal in its entirety.
Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO

US FDA responds to the growth of alt-protein with new labeling guidelines

January 14, 2025 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new guidelines for protein analog producers in order to support the fast-growing sector. 

The guidance most pertinent to the alt-protein industry is around how to label plant-based analogs of foods that are traditionally animal-derived, like alt-seafood. The FDA shared a draft guidance document on this topic, allowing citizens to submit comments on the language until 7 May 2025. 

Read the full article at SeafoodSource