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Troy E. Nehls, representing Texas' 22nd Congressional District, has introduced the Save Our Shrimpers Act in response to the unprecedented crisis facing the American shrimping industry. This legislation seeks to ban federal funding for shrimp farming, foreign shrimp exports to the U.S., and shrimp processing through international monetary institutions.
American shrimpers, crucial to the economies of coastal communities, are struggling due to the dominance of imported shrimp in U.S. markets. Faced with high fuel costs and inflation, many shrimpers are considering selling their trawlers, keeping them docked, or risking costly trips.
Nehls has expressed concern over the government's lack of action to protect American shrimpers. He sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, urging them to address the influx of imported shrimp. The Department of Commerce has since initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into warmwater shrimp from Ecuador, India, and Indonesia.
Nehls highlights that for decades, American taxpayer dollars have funded foreign shrimp operations, contributing to the decline of the U.S. shrimp industry. International financial institutions, such as the World Bank's International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, have financed aquaculture facilities in Asia and South America for nearly 40 years.
Recent reports suggest that shrimp farming in countries like India involves forced and child labor under dangerous conditions. The U.S. Department of Labor found that children in Ecuador are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, particularly in agriculture and fisheries. Moreover, imported shrimp often contain dangerous bacteria, antibiotics, and drug residues, with less than 1 percent tested by the U.S. FDA. In contrast, wild-caught shrimp from U.S. shrimpers is healthier, safer, and fresher.
Nehls argues that subsidizing foreign shrimp farming with American tax dollars undermines the U.S. shrimp industry. The Save Our Shrimpers Act aims to prohibit such funding, protect American businesses, and promote their prosperity. The legislation also mandates a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into the U.S. Treasury Department’s compliance with laws requiring U.S. executive directors at international financial institutions to vote against measures harming U.S. producers.
Nehls's legislation, supported by over a dozen members of Congress from the Gulf Coast of Texas to the Atlantic Coast of North Carolina, demonstrates a unified commitment to protecting American shrimpers and preserving the industry.
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