Would create a unique label for wild-caught US seafood
On Thursday, Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan introduced the “Wild USA Seafood Act of 2023” to establish a Wild USA Seafood label to promote wild-harvested seafood caught in US waters.
The measure, managed by the US Dept. of Agriculture, would amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to establish a label designating fish “harvested in the United States exclusive economic zone or navigable waters as wild USA seafood, and for other purposes.”
“Alaska’s seafood is the best in the world—and I’m proud to lead on this effort that would ensure consumers know their food is being harvested by hardworking American fishermen,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “Consumers want to know where their food comes from—and by creating a specific label allowing wild seafood, like Alaskan salmon caught in Bristol Bay, wild kelp harvested in Southeast, or pollock caught in the Bering Sea, the option to be labeled as ‘Wild USA Seafood,’ we’re ensuring consumers know they are purchasing the highest-quality seafood from the best-managed fisheries in the world.”
“Our research tells us that ‘product of USA’ and ‘wild-caught’ are two of the top five US consumer motivations for choosing seafood over other proteins. Wild-caught Alaska and other USA seafood is the gold standard for sustainable management, and American fishermen, processors, retailers, and consumers will benefit when the US origin of our seafood products is on the label regardless of where processing occurs,” said Greg Smith, Communications Director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI)
One provision in the bill said persons and retailers using the label for an ‘unfair or deceptive’ practice could ultimately be fined $10,000.
