NOAA Fisheries Halts and Removes Illegal Tuna Imports From United States

Following two successful NOAA investigations, seafood importers were issued thousands of dollars in fines for improperly labeling tuna cans as “dolphin safe” products.

NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement conducted two multi-year investigations resulting in significant civil penalties and halting improperly labeled tuna from entering U.S. commerce. NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce’s Tuna Tracking and Verification Program conducted retail market spot check audits. We identified two seafood importers suspected of importing tuna products into the United States from Mexico that were improperly labeled “dolphin safe.” We found that Mexican purse seiners harvested yellowfin tuna in eastern tropical Pacific waters, packaged the tuna into cans and pouches, and improperly labeled it as a “dolphin safe” product. 

During an 11-month period, a distribution company imported 74 shipments of canned and pouched tuna product, totaling 2.2 million pounds, improperly labeled with a “dolphin-safe” logo. While the investigation was ongoing, we intercepted another shipment of 46,080 improperly labeled tuna cans en route into U.S. commerce and returned it to Mexico. The importers cooperated with the investigation, pulled the product from retail, and donated it to a non-profit dedicated to fighting food insecurity. They agreed to create a new label, without a “dolphin-safe” logo, for all future shipments of tuna product destined for the United States.

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