Saving Seafood

Federal government’s new America-First Seafood Strategy offers hope for Gulf shrimpers

October 28, 2026 — The Southern Shrimp Alliance welcomes the Trump Administration’s announcement of the America First Seafood Strategy.

The Friday announcement was accompanied by a 33-page report and website, seafood.gov, focused on the revitalization of the U.S. seafood industry that clearly identified the challenge confronting the federal government: “Rich Waters. Rising Imports.”

The United States has some of the richest fishery resources in the world and the hardest working commercial fishermen on Earth. Yet America imports an overwhelming majority of its seafood supply while domestic seafood businesses and fishing communities struggle to survive. President Trump is fixing this, and putting America’s fisheries and American consumers first.

“President Trump has prioritized getting fishermen back to work to supply Americans with healthy, sustainable, domestically-sourced seafood. The U.S. shrimp industry is thrilled to see a detailed America First Seafood Strategy and looks forward to assisting federal agencies in the implementation of its objectives,” said Blake Price, Executive Director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “At the same time, American shrimpers ask that the Administration take meaningful action to combat the unfair trade practices that have allowed foreign seafood to dominate our market and provide immediate relief from high diesel costs that have forced our boats to tie up.”

Read the full article at The Houma Times

U.S. Shrimpers Petition to Stop Imports of Indian Shrimp Using Forced Labor

October 28, 2026 — The following was released by the Southern Shrimp Alliance:

U.S. commercial shrimp fishermen, supported by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, filed a trade action today to end imports of Indian shrimp produced through the reprehensible use of forced labor. The Section 337 complaint asks the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to determine whether forced labor in the supply chains of major seafood producer Nekkanti Sea Foods constitutes an unfair trade practice that harms domestic shrimp producers.

“Forced labor is not a competitive advantage; it’s an inhumane practice that must end,” said Blake Price, executive director for the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “Multiple investigations find that Indian shrimp producers cut their costs by exploiting vulnerable populations, who are compelled by debt bondage, restricted movement, and abusive bosses to work in hazardous conditions to make shrimp that is exported to the United States. When the U.S. opens its market to Indian shrimp, we fail those vulnerable workers and allow immoral practices to push ethical producers out of the market.”

Growing Forced Labor Findings Unaddressed

In 2024, Corporate Accountability Lab, which is serving as co-counsel in the case, released a three-year studydocumenting widespread use of forced labor across all levels of India’s shrimp supply chain. The Associated Press, the Outlaw Ocean Project, and CNN have since corroborated the study, and the U.S. Department of Laboradded shrimp from India to the 2024 List of Goods Produced with Forced Labor (TVPRA List), officially notifying all U.S. buyers sourcing shrimp from India to exercise additional due diligence to combat forced labor.

The Tariff Act of 1930 grants the ITC authority under Section 337 to block the importation of goods involved in unfair acts or methods of competition that either injure or threaten to injure a U.S. industry.

Distorted Prices of Indian Shrimp Harm American Shrimpers

India is a leading supplier of shrimp to the U.S. market, accounting for over half of all peeled shrimp (52%) and 40% of all frozen warmwater shrimp imported into the United States in 2025. The ITC has repeatedly determined that the U.S. shrimp industry is harmed or threatened with injury by Indian shrimp companies due to dumping (selling below fair value) and subsidies from the Indian government that support shrimp production for export. However, these trade remedies do not fully address the unfair competition caused by forced labor, which undercuts U.S. shrimp producers and costs them sales in the U.S. market.

As Indian shrimp prices fell to record lows, they dragged down all shrimp prices, causing the U.S. shrimp industry to lose half of its value between 2021 and 2023. America’s multigenerational mom-and-pop shrimping businesses closed in staggering numbers. By 2024, state shrimping licenses reached their lowest levels on record, and the total number of commercial shrimp licenses for the Gulf of America dropped to less than one-third of what they were in 2000.

Additionally, studies have linked the pricing pressures resulting from the use of forced labor in India to increased worker exploitation in other major shrimp-producing countries, such as Indonesia and Vietnam. Meanwhile, America is quickly losing its ability to harvest sustainable shrimp from local waters because of uncompetitive practices, jeopardizing domestic food security.

“This case aims to pressure India’s shrimp aquaculture industry to remove forced labor from their supply chains to access the large U.S. market,” explained Price. “Unfairly traded shrimp undercut American shrimpers, who are leaving their cherished, multigenerational way of life to make ends meet. America is losing its ability to access the sustainable shrimp stocks that grow naturally in local waters.”

ITC Decision Coming Soon

The complaint offers a clear timeline and transparent plan for the U.S. shrimp industry, which for years has shown evidence of unfair practices and their damaging effects on American fishing families to the Department of Labor, the Food and Drug Administration, and other agencies without any resulting action.

The Section 337 complaint follows a strict legal process. The ITC Commissioners will decide within 30 calendar days (November 27, 2026) whether to initiate the case and announce how it will proceed. An eight-day public comment period will follow publication in the Federal Register.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Read the fact sheet: https://shrimpalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Section-337-Fact-Sheet-Final.pdf

Read the Corporate Accountability Lab’s (co-counsel) press release, blog, and landing page

Filed complaint: https://shrimpalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Sec-337-Complaint-PUBLIC.pdf

Investigation 337-3935

Gulf shrimp advocate urges federal caution in aquaculture expansion

September 9, 2026 — An organization representing shrimp harvesters and other related small businesses in eight Southern states last week cautioned the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to choose its next round of potential large-scale offshore commercial aquaculture sites carefully.

Published July 30, NOAA’s latest request for information seeks guidance from the public and industry stakeholders on selecting the most suitable locations for what the federal agency calls Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs). NOAA has already undertaken this process in Alaska, California and the Gulf of Mexico, which the Trump administration prefers to call the Gulf of America. The deadline for public comment is Sept. 14.

The Florida-based Southern Shrimp Alliance said in a news release Sept. 3 that NOAA’s process must be mindful of what already exists in the Gulf.

The SSA noted identifying AOAs is the “first critical step in a multi-year process” of downstream planning and environmental review, in this case for NOAA’s South Atlantic fisheries. It added feedback it previously gave had helped prevent two important shrimping areas in the Gulf from being designated as AOAs.

Read the full article at CHRON

GEORGIA: Georgia governor signs foreign shrimp labeling legislation

May 8, 2026 — Just over two months after it was approved by the state legislature, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has signed a bill requiring clear labeling of imported shrimp into law.

“The enactment of HB 117 is a huge victory for Georgia shrimpers, who organized an effective grassroots campaign to ensure that consumers have the ability to choose U.S. wild-caught shrimp when they dine out,” Southern Shrimp Alliance Director Blake Price said in a release.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Buy American Seafood Act Could Help U.S. Fishermen

April 17, 2026 — The following was released by the Southern Shrimp Alliance:

Today, the Southern Shrimp Alliance welcomed Representative Julia Letlow’s (R-LA) introduction of the Buy American Seafood Act, which would prohibit Federal agencies from procuring seafood for covered food programs unless the seafood is domestically sourced. The bill would also incorporate domestic seafood requirements into child nutrition programs.

“American children deserve nutritious seafood proudly produced right here under stringent U.S. food safety standards and enforcement. Congresswoman Letlow’s bill delivers exactly that — and in doing so, it supports America’s coastal economies and fishing families,” said Blake Price, director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance.

USDA Launches Office of Seafood A Win for America’s Fishermen

April 16, 2026 —  The following was released by the Southern Shrimp Alliance:

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the launch of the USDA Office of Seafood, a priority objective that the Southern Shrimp Alliance and dozens of organizations representing U.S. fisheries have collaborated to pursue for multiple years.

The Chair of the North Carolina Fisheries Association and SSA Board member Brent Fulcher joined Kyle and Tricia Kimball of the Port Arthur Area Shrimpers Association at a roundtable meeting this afternoon in Washington D.C. with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Representative Nick Begich (R-AK), Representative Kat Commack (R-FL), and approximately ten fisheries leaders from across the country ahead of the announcement.

“This is a landmark day for U.S. shrimpers. Like our nation’s farmers, American commercial fishermen are food producers,” said Blake Price, director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “Nevertheless, while the USDA offers loans, grants, and marketing programs to food producers, this support is generally not available to fishermen. An Office of Seafood within the USDA is an essential first step in bringing shrimpers into the fold.”

US senators demand NOAA Fisheries improve enforcement against illegal red snapper harvesting

January 16, 2026 — A group of 10 U.S. senators have penned a joint letter to NOAA Fisheries demanding the agency do more to prevent illegal red snapper from reaching U.S. markets.

“The continued ability to sell illegally harvested red snapper into the U.S. market is a powerful financing source for the [Mexican] cartel and undermines both U.S. fisheries management and national security,” the senators stated in their letter. “We would appreciate NOAA Fisheries’ action in more aggressively applying its existing authorities to ensure that illegally harvested red snapper is not sold in the United States.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NORTH CAROLINA: Imported shrimp served at OBX restaurants touting local catch

December 29, 2025 — Genetic testing of purportedly wild-caught shrimp served earlier this month at dozens of Outer Banks restaurants found that 64% of the shrimp was actually imported.

On behalf of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, SeaD Consulting collected and analyzed shrimp samples from randomly selected seafood restaurants in Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Manteo, Rodanthe, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Nags Head and Hatteras, according to a Dec. 17 press release from SeaD. Of the 44 restaurants tested, 43 had verbally claimed to serve local American wild-caught shrimp, but only 16 — 36% — were found to be serving local shrimp in the tested dishes.

The remaining 28 restaurants had served imported farm-raised shrimp, but only one of them admitted it. All 44 of the eateries had used imagery to imply that they served local shrimp.

“The findings raise concerns about seafood transparency in an iconic coastal region known for its local fishing heritage,” the release said.

Despite the Outer Banks’ poor showing, it was noted that Wilmington did even worse, with an “inauthenticity rate” of 77% in previous testing.

SeaD (Seafood Development) Consulting, in partnership with Florida State University, holds the patent for the Rapid ID Genetic High-Accuracy Test, or RIGHTTest, that was used in the survey conducted Dec. 2-6. The Southern Shrimp Alliance, an advocacy trade group, has funded the genetic testing of shrimp throughout the region.

Shrimp, the most popular seafood in the U.S., was an $8 billion market in 2025, with Americans consuming 5 pounds per capita of shrimp a year. But it’s not local shrimpers who are raking in big profits.

According to the U.S. International Trade Commission, 93% of the shrimp consumed in the United States comes from overseas, with 1.7 billion pounds of shrimp products imported in 2024, valued at $6 billion. Meanwhile, commercial shrimp harvests in the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic declined from $522 million in 2021 to $269 million in 2023; $25 million to $14 million, respectively, in North Carolina.

Read the full article at CarolinaCoastOnline.com

What’s working, what’s not in the shutdown

October 28, 2025 — The U.S. government shutdown has led to some concerns among fishermen and dealers regarding permit renewals. Among other things, the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Region Permits Office has been unable to process renewals, with some permit holders finding their renewal applications in limbo.

Those with permits expiring during the shutdown have been reassured by the Southeast Regional Permit Office that their permits will remain valid even after their expiration dates, provided they have submitted their renewal applications prior to the existing permit’s expiration. The Southeast Permit Office notification applies to This notification applies to all Gulf of America, South Atlantic, and Highly Migratory Species vessel permits, and dealer permits.

“The permit extension issued by NOAA Fisheries minimizes the potential impact of a government shutdown on shrimpers who file for permit renewals in a timely fashion. We have not heard that permit delays are causing any disruption to normal fishing operations,” says Blake Price, deputy director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA).

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Shrimpers need honesty in their back yard to survive

August 7, 2025 — In a city of beaches and shrimp boats, with pelicans and seagulls peppering the sky, a new investigation by SeaD Consulting has revealed widespread misrepresentation of shrimp sourcing at sampled Corpus Christi restaurants. Genetic testing, conducted with SeaD Consulting’s Rapid ID Genetic Hi-accuracy Test (RIGHTTest™), of shrimp dishes served in 44 Corpus Christi-area restaurants showed that only 19 restaurants were confirmed to be serving genuine wild-caught domestic/Gulf shrimp, while 25 were not serving wild-caught domestic/Gulf shrimp despite menu claims, staff assurances, or marketing.

“With shrimp boats docked alongside coastal restaurants surrounding Corpus Christi, there is no excuse for more than half of sampled restaurants to be duping their diners,” said Erin Williams, Founder and COO of SeaD Consulting. “Consumers should be able to trust that when they order Gulf shrimp, that’s exactly what’s on their plate.”

Restaurants Verified for Serving Gulf Shrimp

The following 19 restaurants were confirmed to be serving authentic Gulf shrimp:

  • U & I Seafood & Steaks – 309 S Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
  • Executive Surf Club – 306 N Chaparral St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
  • Water Street Oyster Bar – 309 N Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
  • Paradise Key Dockside Bar & Grill – 165 Cove Harbor N, Rockport, TX 78382
  • Los Comales – 431 Hwy 35 S Rockport, TX 78382
  • Pier 77 – 3307 Hwy 35 N Fulton, TX 78358
  • Shrimp-It-Up – 120 S 8th St, Aransas Pass, TX 78336
  • Texas A1 – 14241 Northwest Blvd Ste 105, Corpus Christi, TX 78410
  • Gallery 41 – 100 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
  • Black Diamond Oyster Bar – 418 NAS Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418
  • Snoopy’s Pier & Restaurant – 13313 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418
  • Doc’s Seafood & Steaks – 13309 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418
  • Angry Marlin – 15605 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418
  • Trout Street Bar + Grill – 104 W Cotter Ave, Port Aransas, TX 78373
  • Old Fulton Seafood Café & Steakhouse – 2828 Hwy 35 N, Rockport, TX 78382
  • Charlotte Plummer’s Seafare Restaurant – 202 N Fulton Beach Rd, Rockport, TX 78382
  • Mickey’s Bar & Grill – 430 Ransom Rd, Aransas Pass, TX 78336
  • Catfish Charlie’s – 5830 McArdle Rd #12, Corpus Christi, TX 78412
  • Saltwater Grill – 2401 Cimarron Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78414

Misrepresentation Findings

Of the 25 restaurants not serving Gulf shrimp:

  • 21 explicitly described their shrimp as local or domestic either verbally or on the menu.
  • 4 implied Gulf or wild-caught sourcing through branding or menu descriptions.

SeaD Consulting’s testing revealed blatant examples of explicit inauthenticity, where menus and staff descriptions confidently claimed Gulf shrimp that turned out to be imported or farm-raised shrimp.

Shrimp boat owner in Palacios, Texas and Southern Shrimp Alliance Board Member Ken Garcia said, “We don’t want these restaurants to stop saying they are selling Gulf shrimp, we want them to actually start serving it.”

Impact and Next Steps

Imported shrimp—often produced under unregulated environmental and labor conditions—undercuts the local shrimp industry, erodes consumer trust, and misleads customers who pay premium prices expecting fresh, local seafood.

In May 2025, Texas passed legislation requiring all food service suppliers, wholesalers, distributors, and wholesale distributors selling shrimp in Texas to include a label to the restaurant with “clear and conspicuous notice stating whether the shrimp is imported.” Further, the law prohibits restaurants from labeling or representing imported shrimp as “Texas shrimp,” “Gulf shrimp,” “American shrimp,” or “Domestic shrimp.” However, consumers must still ask about the country of origin of the shrimp if it is not indicated as local wild-caught. If there is any violation of these requirements, the legislation authorizes the Texas Health Department, a public health district, a county, or a municipality to impose an administrative penalty. The law takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Follow-up genetic testing is also planned to track progress and encourage honesty in seafood sourcing.

About the Southern Shrimp Alliance

The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) represents shrimp fishermen, processors, and businesses in the eight warmwater shrimp-producing states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. SSA funds multi-state investigations into seafood mislabeling to protect the domestic shrimp industry and consumers.

About SeaD Consulting

SeaD Consulting collaborates with seafood producers, researchers, governments, and environmental advocates to promote sustainability and truth in seafood sourcing. SeaD holds the patent for the RIGHTTest™ (Rapid ID Genetic High-Accuracy Test) and leads landmark studies across the Gulf and beyond.

For more on the investigation, photos, B-roll, SME interviews, and access to the full report, visit Media Kit or contact Glenda Beasley at 512.750.5199.

Disclaimer: SeaD’s testing and reporting is intended to be used as an investigatory tool to assist the restaurant industry’s fight against seafood mislabeling and is not intended for use in any legal proceedings, nor may SeaD’s data, testing, or reporting be used in any legal proceeding without the express written authorization of SeaD.