Sen. Landrieu Fights For Louisiana Shrimpers, Pushes Customs To Inspect Foreign Seafood

WASHINGTON – In light of shrimp shipments which were recently rejected by the European Union for containing excessive antibiotics, U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., Chair of the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, called on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to increase inspections of foreign seafood coming into the U.S. In a letter to CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske, Sen. Landrieu pointed out that these shrimp not only pose health and safety risks, but they directly threaten our domestic shrimping industry that is already suffering from illegally dumped foreign products.   This illegal dumping is depressing prices in the U.S. market, putting U.S. shrimpers at risk. Despite the serious health and safety risks posed by shrimp from China and India, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is only inspecting approximately two percent of imported shrimp.

In 2012, U.S. shrimpers harvested 313 million pounds of shrimp generating $512 million, 70 percent of which was caught in the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana alone accounted for a third of the national catch.

Full text of the Senator’s letter to Commissioner Kerlikowske can be found here.

“With the occurrence of shrimp already being illegally dumped into this country, the United States cannot afford to have this industry be more diluted, especially with potentially harmful product,” Sen Landrieu wrote. “I ask that you make this a top priority and allocate additional resources to inspecting seafood imports.”

Dr. David Veal, Executive Director of the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA) said, "ASPA is grateful to Senator Landrieu for her leadership on seafood and Customs issues at this critical time for the shrimp industry. The U.S. market is experiencing an import surge related to subsidized production that will test inspection and enforcement efforts in the U.S. and overseas. Leading Chinese officials recently indicated that they may not accept production from their own Chinese suppliers due to safety concerns.  The U.S. must do more to ensure consumer safety which may be endangered by foreign products.  We are pleased Senator Landrieu is raising the profile of this health and safety issue." 

Sen. Landrieu has long-fought to protect and support Louisiana’s seafood industry

Last month, Sen. Landrieu called on the Presidential Task Force to continue to collect duties from shrimp illegally dumped into the U.S. market that hurts Louisiana shrimpers. The dumping became so bad that Louisiana shrimpers considered a strike over low prices drives down because of illegal dumping.

In June, Sen. Landrieu announced that $3 million would be directed to collect anti-dumping duties from countries that illegally dump shrimp, crawfish and other seafood into U.S. markets in the bill that funds the Department of Homeland Security for FY15. That same month, Sen. Landrieu successfully pushed the Food and Drug Administration to update guidance that advises pregnant women to eat two to three servings per week of a variety of fish. Doing so is “a good first step” toward providing pregnant women with clear advice on the most up to date science.

In 2011, she pressed CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to strengthen its efforts to collect anti-dumping duties.

Sen. Landrieu successfully led the effort in 2011 for the International Trade Commission (ITC) to extend the antidumping tariffs on imported shrimp from Thailand, China, Vietnam, India and Brazil. The tariffs will continue on the import through 2016.

Louisiana’s shrimp industry supports over 14,000 jobs and contributes $1.3 billion to Louisiana’s economy.  In 2011, shrimpers landed over 92 million pounds of shrimp, more than any other state in the union.

Source: Office of U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La.