This law requires sellers of fish or shellfish to disclose:
(1) if the fish or shellfish is domestic or foreign, and
(2) whether the fish or shellfish is farm-raised or wild-caught.
Sellers are encouraged, but not required, to disclose the particular country of origin of imported foreign fish or shellfish.
The law also requires seafood suppliers – those who sell to food service establishments – to disclose the country of origin to the retail establishment so that the retailers can accurately inform customers.
If the seller uses a menu, such as a restaurant, the disclosure must be printed on, or paper-clipped to, the menu, directly adjacent to the menu item and in the same font type and size as the menu.
If the seller uses display bins or shelves, such as an in-store deli or cafeteria, the disclosure must be printed on the package, display, holding unit, or bin.
Any seller may choose to provide disclosures using a separate sign in a “conspicuous location” in the establishment. This sign must be no smaller than 8.5×11 inches, must be posted at least 36 inches from the floor, and must be printed in English letters measuring no less than one inch in size.
This law does not apply to:
(1) any retailer already required by federal law to disclose the country of origin of fish or shellfish, including grocery stores, supermarkets, and club warehouses (except that in-store delis or cafes are subject to the new labeling law);
(2) any hospital; or
(3) any group of 10 or more people that preorder their food items.
This law does not apply to fish or shellfish that is a component or ingredient of processed food items, such as canned tuna.
This law also does not apply to packaged foods, such as frozen bagged shrimp.
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is tasked with enforcing this law.
The Seafood Labeling Bill has passed the Alabama State Senate and is poised to be signed into law. 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 State Rep. Chip Brown (R – Hollinger’s Island) and in the Senate by David Sessions (R – Grand Bay).
“We are very thankful and excited that the law is changing and is supporting our seafood industry,” said Kerry Mitchell, secretary of the Alabama Commercial Fishermen Association. “We appreciate all the support from the community, state legislature, and many others, including Mobile Baykeeper. 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.”
Foreign shrimp account for 94 percent of the U.S. market, and local shrimpers in Alabama have had their livelihood in recent years threatened by the “dumping” of foreign shrimp. The Seafood Labeling Bill gives our local seafood workers a fighting chance and lets you know where your seafood is coming from.
Last year, the shrimping crisis had grown so dire the city of Bayou La Batre issued a Declaration of Disaster. Henry Barnes, the town’s mayor, said the Seafood Capital of Alabama was in danger of becoming a ghost town due to the moribund state of the shrimping industry.
“Imported seafood has been decimating our neighbors’ ability to make a living,” said William Strickland, executive director at Mobile Baykeeper. “Imports undercut the price of Alabama harvested seafood, causing generational commercial fishing families to suffer. However, foreign, farmed seafood is not the preference of most consumers. We are grateful to Representative Chip Brown for putting the choice in our hands on what kind of seafood we want to eat. Now, let’s get to work on protecting habitat so we have more shrimp to catch.”
Read “Born on the Bayou: Generational Shrimpers Say Industry is Facing Existential Threat” from Mobile Baykeeper’s CURRENTS, and “A Seat at the Table: Salty Pirates Seafood Wants to Give Alabama Seafood Workers a Voice” for more background on the shrimping crisis that has plagued Gulf Coast shrimpers.
For interview requests, please contact Caine O’Rear at corear@mobilebaykeeper.org, or at 615-975-5777.
Because of your support Seafood Labeling bill has passed the senate and will soon be signed into law. This will require the labeling of imported or domestic for seafood at restaurants and grocery stores as well as clearly labeling “wild-caught” versus “farm-raised” seafood.
Until now foreign shrimp account for 94% of the market and local shrimpers in Alabama are put out of work by the flood of cheap, farmed, foreign shrimp. The Seafood Labeling Bill gives our local seafood workers a fighting chance and allows you to know where your seafood is coming from.
We are incredibly grateful to State Rep. Chip Brown and Senator David Sessions for their leadership.
UPDATE (5/8/2024) The Seafood Labeling Bill has passed the Alabama State Senate. We are incredibly grateful to State Rep. Chip Brown and Senator David Sessions for their leadership.
UPDATE (2/29/24) The Seafood Labeling Bill has passed the Alabama House of Representatives. We’d like to thank State Rep. Chip Brown (R – Hollinger’s Island) for carrying this important measure forward to help support our local seafood workers.
UPDATE (2/22/24) Representative Chip Brown’s bill (HB66) passed committee in the House and will go to the floor for a vote. The amended bill mandates the labeling of seafood as either domestic or imported and requires identification of seafood as wild-caught or farm-raised. While the requirement for using correct species names on seafood labels has been removed, we believe the bill still represents a significant step forward in promoting transparency and supporting our local seafood industry. A companion bill will be introduced in the Senate in the coming days by State Sen. David Sessions (R-Grand Bay).
