NOAA Fisheries announced that it will withdraw its Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) proposed rule and will conduct a broad program review to enhance and strengthen the program’s overall impact and effectiveness. This decision stems from the extensive public feedback received during the proposed rule’s comment period and over the history of SIMP.
NOAA Fisheries is committed to ensuring that SIMP is a robust tool to combat IUU fishing and help maintain the integrity of U.S. seafood imports. As part of the program review, NOAA Fisheries will engage with and seek broad input on SIMP from stakeholders, including industry, non-governmental organizations, other federal agencies, congressional representatives, and foreign governments. To do that, the agency will conduct a series of listening sessions to solicit written and oral feedback from stakeholders. Listening session details will be posted on Fisheries’ website and shared widely via email, e-newsletters, and social media. The first listening session will be held at 9am ET, Friday November 17 with details coming shortly.
NOAA Fisheries will also convene an informal interagency team as part of the review process to help identify possible strategies for increasing the effectiveness and impact of SIMP, and other relevant tools, in countering IUU fishing and seafood fraud. Collaboration with other agencies to explore alternative or complementary approaches available to address seafood traceability is crucial to develop a more effective government-wide approach for seafood traceability.
During the evaluation of the program, SIMP will continue its regular operation, and the list of priority species subject to program requirements will remain unchanged. Additionally, NOAA Fisheries will continue to support industry and other stakeholders in program compliance during the review process.
NOAA Fisheries remains committed to the ongoing development and enhancement of SIMP, encompassing both programmatic and regulatory aspects, as part of its comprehensive strategy to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud.
For more information, contact Alexa Cole, Alexa.Cole@noaa.gov
For more information on SIMP, please visit:https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/international/seafood-import-monitoring-program