March 19, 2025 — As it approaches a decade in force, the overall impact of Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) on defeating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing – and how its new update to cover all species will help – remains unclear.
It has been eight years since NOAA Fisheries first created SIMP under the administration of then-U.S. President Barack Obama, and the agency has now decided it needs an update.
November 14, 2024 — NOAA Fisheries has unveiled an action plan for its Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) that the agency said has a renewed focus on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, enhancing seafood traceability, and expanding traceability requirements to all U.S. seafood imports.
NOAA first created SIMP in 2016 under the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama as a means of imposing stricter monitoring of seafood imports, requiring at-risk seafood species to be tracked to its source and properly labeled. NOAA announced a major proposal on 28 December 2022 that would have doubled the species the program targets – a push that ultimately failed after NOAA decided to withdraw the additional rules in November 2023.
June 17, 2024 — Federal fisheries officials combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries are working to expand partnerships to perform intelligence-led investigations to target future suspected violations, while facilitating the flow of legal seafood into U.S. commerce.
All this and more is included in this latest Report on the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) delivered to Congress, NOAA officials said on May 31. The report offers an overview summary of seafood imports subject to SIMP and enforcement action associated with SIMP imports.
A second report discusses efforts of the Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement (SAFE) Act’s Interagency Working Group to investigate and prosecute groups and individuals engaging in IUU fishing.
January 29, 2024 — More than 100 chefs have signed a letter organized by nonprofit Oceana calling on U.S. President Joe Biden to expand the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), which imposes traceability requirements on some seafood species to prevent illegal fishing.
SIMP currently covers just 13 species or species groups, but many fishery observers and lawmakers have called on the program to expand.
January 4, 2024 — U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) has introduced legislation that would provide an additional USD 36 million (EUR 33 million) for audits of imported shrimp and red snapper under the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP).
“Big seafood exporters, such as India and Ecuador, are flooding America’s markets with illegal shrimp and selling it for cheaper than quality Gulf shrimp caught right here at home,” Kennedy said. “In order to serve American consumers and protect jobs, the U.S. must conduct better inspections on imports – and that is what my bill would help do.”
November 16, 2023 — NOAA Fisheries announced on Tuesday that they have decided to withdraw the proposed rule to expand the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP). The proposed rule to expand SIMP, which would have added species and amended regulations to clarify responsibilities and definitions, was initially published in the Federal Register in December 2022.
“This decision to withdraw the proposed rule stems from the extensive and varied feedback during the public comment period, and our overarching interest in strengthening the impact and effectiveness of our traceability efforts,” said Alexa Cole, the Director of NOAA’s Office of International Affairs, Trade and Commerce. “We’ve received feedback from our stakeholders indicating that SIMP may not fully meet their expectations, and now is the appropriate time to review the program’s scope, format and overall objectives as we plan for the future.”
May 26, 2023 — A half-dozen U.S. senators say that NOAA’s plan to expand the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) doesn’t go nearly far enough and are asking the agency to revise its proposal.
“The proposed rule is far too narrow in scope,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to U.S. regulators. “As SIMP currently only requires catch documentation and traceability for approximately 45 percent of seafood imports, there is a need to include all imported seafood according to the U.S. government’s intent.”
May 2, 2023 — While largely supportive of NOAA Fisheries’ plan to expand the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), the Southern Shrimp Alliance is opposed to a provision that would make it easier for foreign corporations to secure import permits.
The industry group wants NOAA to restrict International Fisheries Trade Permit (IFTP) to U.S. residents and increase enforcement, a move that could close loopholes that allow foreign corporations to import seafood without meeting traceability requirements.
Read the full story at SeafoodSource
March 3, 2022 — NOAA Fisheries has submitted a report to Congress on the development of a priority list of species for consideration under the Seafood Import Monitoring Program. SIMP is a screening and deterrent tool to identify and deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated fish and fish products and misrepresented seafood from entering the U.S. market. It uses risk-based criteria to target the species most vulnerable to IUU fishing and seafood fraud. This complements the multiple tools the U.S. government uses to combat this issue.
The report evaluated the inclusion of the current species in SIMP and considered whether additional species should be included. The program’s current risk-based criteria targets the species most vulnerable to fishing and seafood fraud, and additional criteria as outlined by Congress.
“SIMP has been in effect for all 13 species and species groups, which comprise approximately 1,100 unique species, for about 3 years,” said Alexa Cole, director of NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade and Commerce. “We are committed to its ongoing development and enhancement, both programmatic and regulatory, as part of NOAA’s comprehensive approach to combating IUU fishing and seafood fraud.”
Among the findings in the report, the agency will consider expanding several SIMP species to create larger species groups. This would address concerns that species misrepresentation may be occurring in order to circumvent reporting requirements.
February 4, 2022 — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American COMPETES Act on Friday, 4 February on a near party-line vote.
The USD 350 billion (EUR 305.6 billion) spending bill tackles supply chain and trade issues included several fishing provisions from other bills – including the expansion of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) to cover all species that enter American ports.