WASHINGTON: Shrimp, swordfish, cod and crab are among more than a dozen types of seafood that would be subject to increased scrutiny under a US plan to curb illegal imports, US officials said.
The proposal announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “will collect data about harvest, landing, and chain of custody of fish and fish products” involving 16 kinds of seafood imported into the US and considered vulnerable to fishing and seafood fraud.
Some $2 billion worth of seafood – up to 32 per cent of wild-caught seafood imported into the US each year – is illegal, according to research published in 2014 in the journal Marine Policy.
Most wild-caught imports to the US come from 10 countries: China, Thailand, Indonesia, Ecuador, Canada, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Mexico and Chile.
“This proposed rule is a critical first step in our efforts to create a comprehensive traceability program designed to prevent products from illegal and fraudulent fishing entering US commerce,” said Catherine Novelli, under secretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment. The species on the list include abalone, Atlantic and Pacific cod, blue crab, dolphinfish (also known as mahi mahi) and grouper.