American Voters Support Expanded Seafood Transparency and Traceability
Press Release Date: August 13, 2024
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contact:
Cory Gunkel, Megan Jordan | email: cgunkel@oceana.org, mjordan@oceana.org | tel: Cory Gunkel, 202.868.4061
Oceana released the results of a new poll this summer revealing that American voters support stronger safeguards for our oceans, including addressing illegal fishing and transparency in the seafood supply chain. The national online poll, conducted for Oceana by the nonpartisan polling company Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®, surveyed 1,053 registered U.S. voters from June 28 to 30, 2024.
Key findings from U.S. registered voters polled include:
- 91% agree that seafood caught using human trafficking and slave labor should NOT be bought or sold in the U.S.
- 90% believe imported seafood should be held to the same standards as U.S. caught seafood.
- 88% say consumers should be reassured that the seafood they purchase was legally caught.
- 88% want the implementation of harsher penalties for companies that import or sell seafood that was illegally caught.
- 87% support seafood products being required to be labeled with information like where it was caught, how it was caught, and what fish species it is on packaging.
- 87% believe illegally caught seafood should not be allowed to hurt law-abiding fishers in the U.S.
- 86% say there should be a new law that would ensure illegally caught fish were not sold in the U.S.
- 85% agree that all seafood should be traceable from the fishing boat to the dinner plate.
- 77% believe there should be increased funding for government agencies to better enforce protections on U.S. seafood imports.
- 75% say they are more likely to vote for a political candidate who supports policies that ensure imported seafood to the U.S. does not come from forced labor or illegal fishing.
“American voters clearly want to know the seafood they’re purchasing is safe, legally caught, responsibly sourced, and honestly labeled,” said Campaign Director Dr. Max Valentine. “It’s time for the U.S. government to heed the call of voters and require traceability for all imported seafood. The United States has the purchasing power and, more importantly, the responsibility to combat illegal fishing and its associated human rights abuses. We can only do that by expanding seafood import control regulations to all seafood to ensure Americans know exactly what is on their plate and how it got there.”
Learn more about Oceana’s work to increase seafood traceability and transparency on our oceans here.
Background on Illegal Fishing:
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a low-risk, high-reward activity, especially on the high seas where a fragmented legal framework and lack of effective enforcement allow it to thrive. IUU fishing can include fishing without authorization, ignoring catch limits, operating in closed areas, targeting protected wildlife, and fishing with prohibited gear. These illicit activities can destroy important ocean habitat, severely deplete fish populations, and threaten global food security. These actions not only contribute to overfishing, but also give illegal fishers an unfair advantage over those who play by the rules. IUU fishing can also be intertwined with criminal activities like document forgery; money laundering; forced labor; and human, drug and wildlife trafficking. IUU fishing vessels are already evading laws and oversight to gain higher profits and, in some cases, are more willing to further drive down costs by exploiting workers through forced labor.
The U.S. government formally established the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) in 2016, requiring catch documentation and traceability for some seafood at risk of illegal fishing and seafood fraud. Currently, this applies to just 13 types of imported seafood and only traces them from the boat to the U.S. border. A 2022 Oceana report showed that gaps in SIMP are allowing U.S. seafood demand to drive IUU fishing around the world.
