Seafood Labeling Act Passes Senate, Poised To Become Law

The Seafood Labeling Bill has passed the Alabama Senate and is poised to be signed into law, according to Mobile Baykeeper. The bill requires the labeling of “imported” versus “domestic” for seafood at restaurants and grocery stores, as well as the designating of “wild-caught” versus “farm-raised” on all seafood sold. The bill was carried in the house by Alabama Rep. Chip Brown and in the Senate by David Sessions. “This is a great step in getting an even playing field for our shrimp industry. Now, consumers can be more aware of what seafood they are purchasing and consuming,” said Kerry Mitchell, secretary of the Alabama Commercial Fishermen Association. Foreign shrimp account for 94% of the U.S. market, and local shrimpers in Alabama have had their livelihood in recent years threatened by the influx of foreign shrimp. Last year, the shrimping crisis had grown so dire that Bayou La Batre declared a fishing industry disaster. Henry Barnes, the town’s mayor, said the city was in danger of becoming a ghost town due to the moribund state of the shrimping industry.