Wild caught shrimp, Jumbo shrimp, pink shrimp on display in a glass refrigerator at the Municipal Market in Atlanta Georgia USA.
Adobe Stock
The new law approved in the state of Georgia, United States, requires all food service establishments that serve imported shrimp to clearly indicate their origin on the menu or through visible signage.
The HB 117 law, signed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, requires all restaurants that serve foreign imported shrimp to clearly disclose it on menus or through signage using the label FOREIGN IMPORTED.
Georgia becomes the first state on the East Coast of the United States to adopt a measure of this kind, joining other Southern states, including Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, in implementing similar regulations.
The purpose of this law is to protect local fishing communities in the United States and ensure that consumers can clearly distinguish the origin of the product.
According to seafood industry advocates, imported pond-raised shrimp has previously been subject to misleading labeling practices. As an exception, this regulation will not apply to food service establishments operated by state agencies.
Regional policy in the United States is working to increase transparency in the marketing of seafood products and strengthen the competitiveness of domestic shrimp against imported products. In this way, it also supports and reinforces the food industries, including the fisheries and seafood sector.
In April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the opening of the new U.S. Office of Seafood to recognize the “key” role of American fishermen in the country’s food supply. In contrast, the North American Marine Alliance (NAMA) and the National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) have already expressed concerns about the direction this newly created institution could take.
