The National Ocean Council Committee to Combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud announced its proposal for creating a U.S. seafood traceability program. The next step that the U.S. government is taking to make certain that global seafood resources are managed properly and not fraudulently marketed.
According to Worldwildlife, in a critical step to end the trade of illegal and unreported fish in seafood imports, the US government has proposed a new rule for a seafood program that will trace seafood resources. The new rule requires that fish species will be subjected to traceability.
This will ensure critical information is collected and reported properly regarding specific fish species. The information will then be collected and analyzed by US authorities, to be reviewed and verified the legality for entry and sale across US markets, restaurants and grocery stores.
The fish that will be subject to this traceability program include Atlantic cod, Pacific cod, blue crab, mahi-mahi, grouper, red snapper, swordfish, and the five species of tuna. Shrimp and Abalone will also be included in this list at a later time. The import of the endangered fish species will capture up to 25% of illegal fish entering into the US. This is set to reinforce the critical requisite for a timeline when this program will be expanded to all seafood species.
"Traceability is a key tool for combating illicit activities that threaten valuable natural resources, increase global food security risk and disadvantage law-abiding fishermen and seafood producers," stated Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator via PHYS ORG. She also added,"We are asking the seafood industry, trade and consumer sectors, our international partners and the conservation community to help guide us in creating an effective, efficient program."
National Geographic claimed that a recent study revealed that 20 to 32 percent of wild-caught seafood imported into the U.S. is fished illegally. The U.S. seafood market is one of the world's largest and is valued at nearly $18 billion each year.
Moreover, the goal is to "level the playing field for legitimate fishers and businesses in the seafood industry and increase consumer confidence in seafood sold in the United States," Catherine Novelli, Under Secretary of State mentioned.
As of the moment, there are a lot of U.S. agencies tasked force to issue its report regarding the illegal fishing in the U.S. With that, the U.S. government agencies and partners vow to engage with the new U.S. rule to combat the issues regarding the U.S. seafood market.
