At the end of January, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its Human Foods Program 2026 Priority Deliverables, highlighting concerns over the safety of imported seafood, which dominates the U.S. market amid high consumer demand. The agency is seeking authority from Congress to destroy contaminated imported seafood that poses significant public health risks — a move strongly supported by the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA).

According to the Southern Shrimp Alliance, imported shrimp accounts for the vast majority of shrimp consumed in the United States, with 94% of U.S. seafood imported. The FDA’s proposal, outlined in its Summary of FY 2026 Legislative Proposals, would allow the agency to require destruction of contaminated imports rather than permitting re-export within 90 days, as current law allows.

Photo: SeaD Consulting/FIS

Push for Destruction Authority

The SSA argues that granting the FDA destruction authority would curb “port shopping,” a practice in which foreign suppliers re-export contaminated shrimp refused at one U.S. port and attempt to re-enter through another. It would also create financial consequences for importers forced to destroy unsafe products and reduce what domestic shrimpers view as unfair competition from pond-raised foreign shrimp produced with banned antibiotics.

The FDA has documented cases of importers attempting to reintroduce shipments contaminated with Salmonella, Listeria, and carcinogenic drugs. In May 2023, an importer pled guilty to smuggling 2,100 cartons of frozen eel previously refused due to contamination with carcinogenic fungicides including Gentian Violet, Leucogentian Violet, and Malachite Green. The individual received a 15-month jail term and a 5-year import ban. However, prosecutions remain rare.

The bipartisan Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act (H.R. 2715) was reintroduced in April 2025 by Representatives Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Troy Carter (D-LA), with additional support from Randy Weber Sr. (R-TX), Troy Nehls (R-TX), Julia Letlow (R-LA), Gregory Murphy (R-NC), and Gregory Steube (R-FL). In the Senate, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced companion legislation, S. 3213, in November.

“There is no reason why any exporter should be selling shrimp to the United States that is contaminated with banned antibiotics or harmful human pathogens,” said Blake Price, deputy director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. He called the legislation a “commonsense solution” to protect consumers and U.S. shrimpers.

Questions Over Regulatory Partnerships

In addition to seeking destruction authority, the FDA plans to continue increased sampling of shrimp supply chains, strengthen Regulatory Partnership Arrangements with India and Ecuador, and expand genetic tracking through whole genome sequencing.

Congress has directed the FDA to spend no less than $15 million this fiscal year on field examinations of imported seafood and inspections of foreign facilities. While the SSA supports increased sampling, it questions the effectiveness of Regulatory Partnership Arrangements, which have been in place for over three years.

Although agreements were signed with Ecuador, India, and Indonesia, the FDA’s latest priorities omit mention of Indonesia’s arrangement, despite the country being subject to a certification requirement under Import Alert 99-52 due to repeated findings of radioactive contamination.

Recent FDA data raises additional concerns. In 2025, the agency reported a record number of entry line refusals for Indonesian shrimp contaminated with veterinary drug residues, recalled shrimp for potential Cesium-137 radioactive contamination, and refused 33 entry lines of Indian shrimp for banned antibiotics — the third highest total in 25 years.

“Although the U.S. shrimp industry welcomes the FDA’s emphasis on the importance of ensuring the safety of imported shrimp, the agency hasn’t shown that its Regulatory Partnership Arrangements are making any difference,” said Price, according to the Southern Shrimp Alliance.

Georgia Legislature Passes Shrimp Transparency Bill

While federal lawmakers debate import enforcement, the Georgia House of Representatives voted 159-8 on Wednesday 11th to pass HB 117, requiring restaurants to disclose whether shrimp served is imported.

Once signed by Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia will join Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas in adopting laws aimed at combating misleading advertising of foreign, pond-raised shrimp.

Under the new law, privately run food service establishments must disclose imported shrimp by labeling menu items as “FOREIGN IMPORTED” or displaying a placard reading “FOREIGN IMPORTED SHRIMP.” The measure follows genetic testing of restaurant dishes, funded by the Southern Shrimp Alliance and conducted by SeaD Consulting, which found widespread mislabeling of imported shrimp as U.S. wild-caught shrimp.

Representative Jesse Petrea, the bill’s sponsor, credited Paige Morrison, founder of the Georgia Commercial Fisherman’s Association, for championing the legislation prior to her recent passing.

Photo: SeaD Consulting

“HB 117 demonstrates what shrimpers can achieve by advocating for this industry in their communities,” said Blake Price, director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. He added that the law strengthens marketing opportunities for U.S. wild-caught shrimp in the eighth most populous state and expressed hope that Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina will soon adopt similar measures.

As federal and state officials advance new policies, the debate over imported shrimp safety and transparency continues to shape the future of the U.S. shrimp industry.