Starting October 1, 2024, Alabama will have a new law in place to combat seafood fraud. This comes after a recent case in Mississippi where a restaurant was found guilty of selling imported fish as locally sourced Gulf seafood. The new law aims to prevent such fraudulent practices from happening in the future.
The restaurant in Mississippi found itself in hot water after it was discovered that they had been serving seafood made from low-quality, frozen fish from Africa, Suriname, and India, while claiming that it was caught in the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, they were charged with conspiracy and wire fraud, and ultimately had to forfeit $1.35 million. This deceptive practice resulted in customers being charged significantly higher prices for their meals.
In a bid to promote transparency in the seafood industry, Alabama State Representative Chip Brown (R-Hollinger’s Island) has proposed a bill that mandates restaurants in Alabama to disclose whether the seafood they serve is domestic or imported. The bill was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey and is set to take effect later this year. This move is aimed at providing consumers with more information about the sources of the seafood they consume, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health and the environment.
According to State Representative Brown, the prevalence of foreign seafood in Alabama that is being mislabeled and priced is on the rise, as evidenced by the Mississippi scandal. Brown stated that a law is necessary to address this issue.
According to Brown, Alabama’s commercial seafood industry is a crucial component of the economy. With an influx of foreign seafood products in the U.S. market, it is vital to support, protect, and promote the industry.
“We can promote the use of seafood caught in Alabama, keep consumers informed about the food they consume, and hold restaurants accountable for fraudulent practices by mandating the disclosure of whether the seafood is domestic or imported,” said the spokesperson.
Restaurants are now required by law to provide information on whether the seafood they serve is domestic or imported. This information must be included on the menu listing for the dishes they sell, or on “conspicuous signage” that is easily visible to diners and patrons.
Under the provisions of the bill, advertisements promoting seafood products and dishes offered by food service establishments must include the required information. Moreover, the law also mandates that the same methods should be employed to disclose whether fish or shrimp products are farm-raised or caught in the wild.