Officials with NOAA Fisheries have announced a plan to expand the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), with a proposal that would more than double the number of species it targets.
SIMP was created six years ago to block the import of select seafood products that had been mislabeled or harvested through illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. It requires importers to show detailed information to inspectors upon entry at a U.S. port for 13 species or species groups that include about 1,100 individual species, according to a release from the agency.
Besides adding seafood species to the list of those requiring additional documentation for importation, the proposal adds clarifications on what importers are responsible for and includes new language mandating importers provide chain of custody data through electronic means, if requested, according to a statement the federal agency released on 27 December, 2022…